Space 1999 Orphans from Space
by Danita Louw
Summary: The Alphans continue expanding their communities on Berg in Alpha Nova, but gets an unexpected visit from outer space. Story follows "Twin Planets" and while it is recommended "Twin Planets" be read first, it is not essential. Season 1 characters, pairing Victor and Helena. Dedicated to the memory of my dear friend, Barry Morse.
1. Chapter 1: Under the Ice

**SPACE 1999: ORPHANS FROM SPACE**

 **Chapter 1: Under the Ice**

"Slowly, lower it some more, slowly!" Victor Bergman called to the team of technicians hard at work with him on Erath.

While all the Alphans had eventually settled on planet Berg in Alpha Nova due to serious structural issues with the second planet they discovered in their new solar system, continued exploration of Erath was still being done. The current team on Erath was exploring the immense crater on the dark side of Erath, and more specifically attempting to drill through the enormous sheet of ice filling the crater. Professor Angela Robinson had placed probes in the ice, and those probes had picked up several large organic structures under the ice. The team was attempting to reach one of those structures.

While the principle of the drill was fairly simple, the execution was not. Professor Bergman had designed a laser drill that would drill a hole with a diameter of about 2 meters in the ice, and it was a large machine. Furthermore, though the ice was strong, the tunnel had to be kept from collapsing inward due to the immense pressure from the sides as the hole grew deeper, so large pipe-like mesh units of graphene-strenghthened material was slowly being lowered into the already completed parts of the tunnel. Above the hole an elaborate winch had been set up, and it was from this winch that Victor was dangling in the hole in a specially designed cradle, a few hundred meters under the ice.

They had been at it for several days, drilling a section, pumping out the water, then lowering a man into the hole to oversee the careful placement of a section of pipe. It was a cold and forbidding work environment, with temperatures hovering around -150 Celsius and the men working changed shifts every hour. Platforms had been drilled into the ice around the worksite where eagles could set down for prolonged periods without freezing to the surface, and these platforms were connected with catwalks to each other and the central tower which housed the drill bit and the winch.

"We're hauling you up, Professor!" Toshiro Fujito, who was medical officer as well as technical support during this particular work detail, called on his commlock. "Your hour is up!"

The work detail from Berg generally spent about two earth weeks on Erath. The Alphans had simply continued using an earth calendar and lunar time despite the differences in orbital times of their new solar system to that of earth and the absence of night and day on their new home planet. After two weeks they were relieved by a new team from Berg, and the routine had become familiar in the few weeks since all the Alphans had relocated to Berg.

The cradle appeared at the top rim of the tunnel and started swinging slowly to the platform. Victor Bergman, chief scientist for the Alpha community, waved enthusiastically. The men working on site were always suited up in their old Alpha spacesuits because of the unforgiving cold. As soon as he was unstrapped out of the cradle, they headed for one of the eagles, where they gratefully removed their clumsy helmets.

"900 Meters!," Victor exclaimed. "We are making good progress!"

"We still have a long way to go, Professor," Toshiro said as the two men helped themselves to cups of hot cocoa offered them. "Over 5 000 meters, in fact."

The drilling had started at the site where probes found the organic structure closest to the surface of the ice plate: 6 km.

John Koenig joined them from the control pod of the eagle. "Computer estimates it will still take several more weeks to break through. I'm sending you home, Victor. You two weeks are almost up!"

"No, John," Victor replied almost petulantly. "I want to finish my shift; we can do another few hundred meters."

John pulled the older man into the eagle cockpit by his sleeve. "I just spoke to Helena. She wants you to come home, Victor."

Sudden concern flashed on the scientist's face. "Is she ok, John?"

"Helena is fine, Victor, no need for concern. It was a request she made, and she did say that if it couldn't be done, it would be ok too, but I already have a new team on the way from Berg. When they get here, you can go home with the eagle."

"It's fascinating work, John, even from an engineering point of view. Drilling 6 km into an ice plate… I predict that as we go deeper, it will be getting warmer as we get nearer the core of Erath. We may even come up against bodies of water under the ice… just think about it, John…"

John studied his friend's face. Victor was sold out completely to his job, always excited about science, about discovery. That he had been on Moonbase Alpha on 13 September 1999 when the moon was blasted out of earth's orbit by a huge nuclear explosion created by the nuclear waste that had been stored on the moon, had been fortuitous. Many a time it had been his creative thinking and uncanny understanding of physics that had saved Alpha from disaster.

"And you can come back with the next team, Victor," John smiled. "You know as well as I that every fragment of data from this site will be at your disposal instantaneously."

"I know, John," Victor drawled in his familiar way when he didn't want to concede a point. "But it so much more exciting on site!"

"I understand Victor, but I've made my decision. You'll be going home on the next eagle for Berg."

"Yes, John," Victor smiled. "I'll go. I'm just giving you hard time for old times' sake."

The men joined the others in the passenger pod of the eagle. The next group of workers was suiting up, getting ready to resume drilling and strengthening the tunnel.

"Anything we should know about, Professor?" Chris Potter asked.

"Watch it in that cradle, Chris. We need to find a way to stabilize it. As the cable gets longer, it tends to swing more, and a hard crash against the sides of the tunnel might result in injury. Keep your hands from getting between the cradle and the tunnel."

John looked concerned. "How can we stabilize it, Victor?"

"I'm not sure yet, John. Adding side protectors to the cradle will make it difficult to reach the sides of the tunnel, which is exactly where we need to be to fit the pipe. We may have to drill down deeper for each section of pipe and create some sort of platform where the cradle can be detached."

"And have a man work completely unattached to the surface in those circumstances? I won't allow that Victor. Anything can go wrong in that tunnel, and I want us to be able to haul up the men independently to the surface."

"We check the equipment very carefully at the end of each day, Commander," Toshiro said. "Nothing has gone wrong so far. The cradle limits our ability to move around down there."

John shook his head firmly. "While I am just as curious what we'll find at the end of that tunnel, I will not allow un-tethered workers down there. That's final. Now, Victor has been summoned back to Berg, so a replacement team is on its way. Anyone else who would like to be relieved of duty a few days earlier is welcome to go back too."

"What about you, John?" Victor asked.

"I arrived only two days ago. I'll stay for another day or so, and then go back to Berg. I would like my own turn down in that tunnel!"

The men laughed. It was exciting work, and had the conditions not been so treacherous, they would have spent far more time in the intriguing and slowly growing tunnel.

* * *

Victor piled his stuff on the floor in the living area of their residential unit. "Helena?" A quick glance at the time showed him it was 17:45 lunar time, near the end of their scheduled workday on Berg. Helena was most probably still in the medical unit. He had time…

He dashed over to his computer bank, directly connected to the mainframe in Kukua and David Kano's territory. As on Alpha, Victor had direct access to the powerful heart of their communities. He punched some buttons and eagerly ripped the latest printouts from Erath from the panel. His eyes lit up. During his trip back to Berg, the men had drilled another two sections of tunnel, finally reaching the depth of 1 km. He knew that the deepest drilling that had ever been done on earth had taken place on the Kola Peninsula in Russia and that the scientists had reached the staggering depth of 12 km in 1994. It had taken them 20 years, but he knew their technology here on Berg was far superior. They had taken about two weeks to reach 1 km, so in another two months or so, bar any unexpected delays, they might break through to the organic structure.

"Victor! You're home," Helena exclaimed behind him. She rushed up to him, wrapping her arms around him. "What are you looking at that's making you so excited?"

"They got to 1 km, Helena," he replied, his voice filled with excitement. "We'll be through in no time. Isn't that exciting?"

She smiled. His enthusiasm was always so infectious. She took his hand and dragged him to the couch, flopping down beside him. "It is, Victor. But you know I don't like you going down into that tunnel. John neither. There are younger, far more agile workers who could do that part. You guys can coordinate from above."

"Are you calling us old?" he grinned, then pulled a face. "It's not as exciting as being there, Helena. Surrounded by tons and tons of ice, in that cold and stillness, on a still fairly unknown planet. Who knows what could be down there! And to be the one who discovers it…" He paused, capturing her eyes with those light green ones of his. "But John told me you wanted me home." He reached out to cup her cheek in his palm. "Are you ok?"

John Koenig, Victor Bergman and Helena Russell had met many years before when they were all three part of the space exploration programs on earth during the late 1990s. They had become firm friends. Koenig had been an astronaut on early space missions, and was assigned to the Ultra probe mission at the same time Victor had been working on establishing Moonbase Alpha and Helena Russell, having lost her husband a few years earlier in the Astro probe mission, had been assigned to the medical unit on Moonbase Alpha. John Koenig had just been assigned as Commander of Moonbase Alpha, and the three friends had found themselves united there on 13 September 1999 when the moon was blasted out of earth's orbit. That had started an uncharted and at times frightening journey into unknown space, where every moment had been occupied with their quest for survival. Nothing on Alpha had ever been natural, and though John and Helena had at times seemed strongly attracted, nothing ever came of it, as emotional entanglements were almost frowned upon during their long, unexpected journey. Helena had had some history with Victor Bergman though, having leaned on him a great deal after her husband, Lee's disappearance, but they too, had never pursued any romantic feelings.

When Victor discovered their new solar system, Alpha Nova, after they had been adrift in space for nearly two years, they had found not one, but two habitable planets. They had evacuated Moonbase Alpha, leaving the barren lunar surface that had seemed destined to become their tomb and colonized both planets, split into two groups. Away from the restricting confines of Moonbase Alpha, and having chosen the group originally led by Victor Bergman, Helena had realized that she still had deep feelings for Victor, confided it to him, and though circumstances had eventually forced the Alphans to all move to one of the two planets, thereby reintroducing the presence of John Koenig, she had elected to pursue a relationship with the older scientist.

The people, who had originally settled on Berg before the discoveries that had shown Erath to be unsuitable for long term development, had accepted this turn of events without much reaction. Some, however, who had been in John Koenig's group originally on the second planet, Erath, had only slowly become aware of this once they had to relocate to Berg, and some were quite openly hostile and rejecting this outcome. John Koenig, although initially devastated when Helena approached him about this, had also come to accept it, and often found himself rather pleased for his friends. He knew Victor was a good man, a gentle man, and if not him, then she could simply not be in better hands.

They had all been united on Berg for about two earth months now, and Helena often had to deal with snide remarks and crude jokes when dealing with patients. Victor seemed to simply take it in his stride, but then he had always been an unflappable character, keeping his emotions to himself. He had learned, however, that when she came home after work, Helena often needed reassurance and comfort to help her cope with these cruel, unthinking remarks. They had discussed speaking to their Commander about it, but in the end decided that they would fight this battle together. If things were meant to last, it would.

"I'm fine, Victor," she reassured him, studying his face tenderly. "But I do have something to tell you…"

His eyes, which had been filled moments ago with mischievous excitement, now projected his curiosity.

She stared down at her hands, fidgeting nervously. "Well?" he asked, tilting her face up to him, placing his hand over hers to still them.

"You know that Sandra is about 5 months advanced in her pregnancy," she began. Sandra Benes had married Paul Morrow not long after their exodus to Berg, and was expecting the first baby in their community.

He looked at her uncomprehendingly. "Yes, and we are all very excited," he said, smiling. "Our first child, our future. She is ok, isn't she?"

"She's doing very well, actually." She took a deep breath, slowly wrapping her arms around his neck, laying her head against his shoulder. She felt his hand rub her back in a soothing way, closed her eyes, and whispered softly: "We're going to have a baby, Victor."

His hand stopped moving, and she felt him take a deep breath. When she sat up to look at him, he was staring at her with… disbelief? Wonder? It was hard to tell. She wanted him to grab her and dance through their living room, but she knew she had to let him process this in his own way. Victor was a complicated man, and he simply did not always react as was expected. His mechanical heart also caused some physiological detachment from normal sudden emotion, often resulting in a delayed, but no less honest reaction.

He reached to gently caress her face, his mouth literally hanging open, and she felt him consciously make an effort to compose himself.

"Does John know?" That response was so unexpected, yet so totally Victor, that she burst out laughing.

"No, Victor. I wanted to tell you first. I only requested John to send you home, if possible."

Finally his arms reached out for her, pulling her to him tightly. "Oh, Helena…" His voice was hoarse. He kissed her hair, her forehead, her cheek, stopping in bursts to just stare at her before pulling her close again, and she giggled, realizing that he really did not know how to react.

"Are you happy, Victor," she asked when he next met her eyes.

"Happy? Happy? Of course I'm happy… I'm… I'm… I don't know what I am, Helena, but I am happy. I'm over the moon happy… I'm…" He finally jumped up, pulling her to her feet into his embrace; then just as quickly stepped back. "I'm sorry… I didn't hurt you, did I? You're ok, right?"

She stepped back into his arms, smiling. "Of course I'm ok, Victor. I'm just having a baby; I'm not turning into some fragile glass sculpture!"

"Of course, of course," he said. "Oh, Helena, I love you so much, and…"

But he never got to say what he wanted he wanted to say, as an alarm started ringing loudly in their quarters, the internal communications panel flashing a stark message in red not seen since they had left Alpha: "Red Alert, Red Alert, Red Alert." It was followed by a disembodied voice: "Professor Bergman, report to Command Center urgently. Professor Bergman, report to Command Center urgently."

He held her for a moment by her shoulders, his eyes still searching hers, but she said: "Go, Victor! You need to go!"

He grabbed his commlock and ran for the door. Helena too took a deep breath before following him, a sudden fist of fear forming in her stomach. They had been living in relative peace for so long now, and she had no idea what danger they could suddenly be facing.

* * *

Paul Morrow and David Kano were in the command center, studying their big screen with alarm.

"Professor, our scanners just picked this up!"

Victor raced to join them, glancing up at the screen. "What is it, Paul?"

"A large object, Professor. Initial readings confirm that it is some kind of spaceship, but it's still too far for us to be sure. But it is powered."

"John needs to know immediately."

"David has already sent the information."

At that very moment a communications console lit up, the face of John Koenig appearing. "I'm getting your data, Paul. Get Victor in there. I'm recalling the entire team on Erath as we speak. We'll be heading to Berg immediately."

"The Professor is already here, Commander."

"Victor! I need you to find out what that thing is. By the time we get there, I need as much information as you can find."

"Yes John, I'm on it."

"Alert Carter. As soon as an eagle can be sent, let him go. Alert our team at the armory. Get a few eagles equipped with long range weapons. If it is a ship, and it is hostile, we need to be ready."

"Yes, Commander," Paul replied. The Alphans sprung into action seamlessly. This they had dealt with often before. Unlike the new planet that was now their home, and often still baffled them, this alert was familiar territory. Barely a minute later Alan Carter burst into the control room, still pulling on his old Alpha tunic.

"What is it, Paul?"

"Our scanners have picked up some kind of ship," Paul said. "It is powered artificially."

"The Commander is on his way," Kano commented, pulling yet another printout from Computer.

"Alan, get an eagle ready. John wants you to go take a look as soon as it comes within range. And we need better pictures. If you go now, and fly some sort of holding pattern between us and the ship, your scanners could provide us with better data."

"On my way, Professor," Alan said with a smile. The brave young Australian was always ready for action.

"Johan Burger will be waiting for you at the eagles, Alan. I've already alerted him."

Helena appeared in the doorway, her arm around the shoulders of Sandra Benes Morrow. Paul jumped up and rushed to her. "Sandra! You should not have come!"

"I tried to stop her, Paul," Helena said. Paul's bride was more than halfway through her pregnancy. But it was more than her and Paul's pregnancy: it belonged to all of them, as it was the first time since their moon had left earth that there was a true chance at building a future and she had been treated like a porcelain princess by everyone alike.

Sandra leaned against Paul. "I wanted to come," she said.

Helena suddenly became aware of Victor Bergman studying her intensely, concern on his face. She realized he was probably feeding off Paul's reaction, and now that she had told him, she would be the one having to reassure him constantly that she was ok.

More people had arrived, galvanized into action by the Red Alert, and Paul punched a few more buttons. "Attention all Berg residents. Attention all Berg residents. Our scanners have picked up an approaching ship, but we in no immediate danger. Commander Koenig is returning to Berg immediately with the work team from Erath. We are sending out an exploration eagle to take a look at that ship, but you can stand down, I repeat, you can stand down. If you are scheduled for a work duty, please return to your duty station. The Red Alert is now lifted, but you will be informed if it changes."

"Eagle 3 ready for liftoff," Carter's voice broke in.

"Go, go, go!" Paul shouted. "Good luck Alan. We've not had any signals from that ship, so be careful out there." He then punched up the console to contact the eagle on its way back to Berg. "Commander, Alan has just left to approach that ship and send us more information."

"Is he armed, Paul?"

"I'm not sure, Commander, but I would think so."

"Find out, Paul. And if not, at the slightest hint of aggression from that ship, recall Alan and send the armed eagles. We'll be touching down shortly. Don't do anything else until I get there."

"Yes, Commander."

Paul looked back at Sandra and Doctor Russell. "Doctor Russell, could you please take her back home. We're not in any danger. I'll come as soon as the Commander gets here."

Helena nodded, her arm around Sandra's shoulder. The young woman was reluctant to leave, but eventually relented and allowed herself to be led out. Before she exited the door, Helena was aware again of Victor's eyes on her, and all she could do to assuage whatever fears he was trying to deal with, was wave him a quick surreptitious kiss.

The men left in the control room kept glancing at the screen, the continuous printouts being spewed from computer, their restlessness apparent. Victor was pacing up and down, obviously in deep thought, and Paul wondered for a moment if it was just about the ship. But then after a while Alan's voice came through: "Ready to activate scanners. Stand by."

"Go ahead Alan," the Professor called, rushing to the nearest monitor, punching a few buttons. Their eyes lifted to the big screen.

Slowly the ship started coming into view: an elongated object fitted with panels and boosters, large cylinders nestled around its slowly gliding main body. The ship glided on serenely, but the silence in the control area was suddenly broken by Victor's excited voice: "It's a Superswift! A modified Superswift, amost resembling the Ultra Probe! That's a ship from earth!"

"Are you sure Professor?" Paul asked, incredulous.

"Yes, yes, of course I'm sure! They were working on it during project Meta, but it was not ready yet." He punched up a communications panel again. "John! John did you get that."

"We're just landing, Victor. What's up?"

"It's a Superswift, John. That ship is from earth!"

Minutes later, while then men were still staring at the video feed from Alan's eagle, John Koenig burst through door, then froze in his tracks.

"You are right, Victor," he exclaimed. "It's the Superswift design, somewhat modified, but unmistakable!"

"What does it mean, Commander?" Paul asked, still somewhat confused. But Koenig had punched up the connection to Alan Carter.

"Alan! That ship… that ship is from earth! Are you picking up any signals?"

"None whatsoever Commander… what do you mean… from earth?"

"That is the Superswift design from just before they started working on the Meta probe. It's somewhat modified, but then it was incomplete when our moon was blasted out of orbit."

"You mean they're looking for us?" Alan exclaimed.

"I don't know what it is doing here, Alan, but it is an earth vessel. Keep calling on all channels."

"Should I approach when in range, Commander?" Alan asked. Excitement was etched on the faces of all those gathered around the screen, as well as that of Alan Carter.

"No… no…" John suddenly said. "If there are people on that ship, remember, they don't know we are here. They might regard an approach as a sign of aggression."

"But surely they'll recognize the eagle, Commander?" Alan retorted.

"Do not approach until we've established contact, Alan. That's an order. Hold your position and keep trying to reach them."

"Do you know what that means, John!" Victor exclaimed, grabbing his friend's sleeve. "There could be people on that ship! They would know the relative position of earth. If they traveled here, we could go home!"

"Yes, Victor. While we're still not in range, their silence bothers me though. By now they must be receiving our navigation signal. If they had progressed as far as to launch a Superswift, surely their other technology has advanced too."

They turned to see Helena returning. She nodded reassuringly to Paul, then hurried to Victor's side. "What is it?"

"An earth ship, Helena!" His voice was filled with awe. "We're being visited by an earth ship!"

She looked from him, to John, who nodded. "It's a Superswift, Helena. Victor is right. But we're getting no signals from them."

She stared at the screen in amazement. "What are we going to do, John?"

"As soon as we've established contact, we'll go over, of course."

Paul kept punching buttons, repeating their call signal. They could hear Alan doing the same. They were terribly excited, but it was somewhat tampered by the ominous silence.

Victor pulled his friend aside. "John! You do realize that everyone on that ship could be dead?"

John nodded. "But there should still be a navigation signal of some kind. All our craft had one."

"Yes," Victor said, scratching his chin. "Unless all their onboard computers are dead."

"If that's the case, then anybody on that ship would be dead too," John whispered to his friend.

John thought for a minute, then turned to his people. "Paul, keep calling them. Alan, return to base. Don't stand down the armed eagles yet. When we get within range, we'll prepare and eagle and attempt to dock with that ship. Start preparing an eagle. I want the very best team to go with me…" He glanced around. "Alan to fly us, Helena, medical," he glanced briefly at Paul, "Tony Allen, security, Bill Steiner, technical, Peter Reeves, communication." His eyes rested on Victor Bergman for a moment. "Jim Haines, scientific." He saw the disappointment on his friend's face, but quickly countered: "I need you here, Victor. While I'm gone, Berg is yours. Whatever we find on that ship, I don't really expect problems… but we can never be sure. Let's saddle up, people. We lift off as soon as we are in range." He strode to the door, but was suddenly aware of a frantic tug on his sleeve.

"Victor? I really need you here. I know you'd love to see that ship, and you will. This is just a reconnaissance trip. You'll go as soon as we know what's going on."

"No, no, John. Not me. It's Helena… can Matthias go? Or Vincent?"

John was suddenly puzzled at the vehemence of Victor's request. "She'll be fine, Victor. I'll take good care of her. You have my word."

His friend's eyes filled with sadness, and was it… desperation? Confused, John steered his friend outside. "OK, Victor. What's going on? Helena looked fine to me, and eager to go."

Bergman clutched his hands behind his back, staring up into the sky. John realized there was some sort of battle raging inside the man, but he simply could not fathom what it was. But he had seldom seen his friend so frantic and unglued.

"John…" Victor swung around, facing the Commander, but then his words seemed to dry up. John realized that this was the first time they had faced any kind of threat since they had left Alpha, and he remembered the times he had been frantic for Helena's safety during their desperate journey through space. It was endearing that his friend was now exhibiting the same symptoms, but it was just not like the man. As he was about to say something, he heard footsteps and turned to see Helena coming towards them.

"Helena? Are you ok?" Koenig asked. "Victor seems rather convinced that you should not go."

Helena looked at John, and then at Victor, who stood looking down rather dejectedly. She stepped up to him, placing her palm against his chest, then faced John Koenig.

"I'm fine, John." She smiled. "But I think Victor is suffering from a bit of 'expectant daddy' syndrome. You see, I just told him a couple of hours ago he's going to be a father."

This time it was John's face that filled with astonishment. "Oh, Victor," he energetically pumped his friend's hand, then swung Helena around in an exuberant hug. "Of course Bob can go! Why didn't you say anything? Congratulations! Oh my goodness, congratulations you two, that is wonderful news!" And as he hugged both his friend to him, he realized that he really meant it, that his heart was really filled with joy for these two dear friends of his.

(To be continued…)

16 Page


	2. Chapter 2: The Ship

**Chapter 2: The Ship**

By the time the earth vessel came within range of their new home, the eagle was ready to go. By now news of this amazing discovery had circulated to everyone on Berg, and those not able to be in the Command Unit, were glued to monitors everywhere in the two communities.

The smaller group of Alphans who had originally chosen to come to Berg had built a robust little settlement by the time the decision was made to relocate those who had chosen to go to the bigger planet, Erath. As space in the original Berg community had filled up with structures of all kinds, most of the group from Erath settled in a second community about 9 km from the first. The first community had been named Uzazi, meaning "birth", and the second community Kukua, meaning "growth". The communities shared a medical center and laboratory facilities located in Uzazi, while Kukua housed Computer and the Armory.

"Ready for liftoff," Commander Koenig communicated.

"Reading you loud and clear, Commander," Paul Morrow replied. "Still no word from that ship, so… good luck."

As preparations to launch the reconnaissance eagle had been made, people had started realizing what the silence could mean, and the excitement of seeing a spacecraft from their own planet earth, was subdued because of the terrible realization that if the craft was manned, the silence could only mean one thing.

Victor Bergman was seated at Commander Koenig's desk, his head in his hands. Every few minutes he would jump up, rush to a computer station to rip out yet another printout before sitting down again. Paul could see that the Professor was obviously very agitated, which was completely unlike him. He also knew that at the last minute, the Commander had assigned Bob Matthias to join the exploration group in Doctor Russell's place. He had not seen Doctor Russell for a while, and wondered if she was ok.

"Professor," Paul said. "We have everything under control here. It will be a while before our eagle reaches that ship. If you need to go, we'll be ok. I'll let you know as soon as we have news."

The Professor was on his feet in a flash. "Thank you, Paul."

Paul looked at the departing back with astonishment, then glanced at David Kano and shrugged.

"What's eating him?" Kano laughed.

"Commander Koenig replaced Doctor Russell with Bob Matthias," Paul said. "Perhaps she is not well?"

"She looked fine to me." Kano, who had been married to Professor Angela Robinson not long before, was still in the skeptical camp regarding Victor and Helena. He got up too.

"It's going to be a while before they reach that ship," he continued. "I'll be back shortly."

Paul nodded. "I've got it, David."

* * *

Helena pulled down the blackout shades in their residential unit. She was secretly relieved that John had sent Bob Matthias. She was tired, the emotional tension of waiting to tell Victor their news wearing her down, and then the appearance of that ship! An earth ship! While she was curious about the ship, she knew it would a while before the eagle reached it, so she planned to take a nap, then return to the Command Unit.

Victor suddenly burst through the door, out of breath. "Helena, I'm sorry… I thought… I wanted John… I'm sorry… I know you wanted to go to that ship… I just thought… I don't know what I thought…"

She stared at him, trying very hard not to laugh. "Victor, sit down. It's ok, but you're worrying me… yes, I want to go to the ship, but I'm glad I don't have to go now. It's very sweet of you to be concerned for my welfare, so no need to apologize. But I'm not going to fall apart... women's' bodies were made to carry babies."

"I know, I know." He had sunk down on the couch, and she knelt down across his lap. "It's just so unbelievable; I don't know what to think."

She smiled at him. "What's so unbelievable? I'm a woman; you're a man, that's how it's meant to be. Now… don't worry about me. I'm going to get some rest, and I'm sure you have a few things to do about that ship. Wake me when they make contact." She kissed him tenderly. "I do love you, Victor."

She could see that mentioning the ship already started his mind racing in a new direction, and immediately he was the scientist again. "Yes. I need to pull up the data on the Superswift. The computer will have it. I remember some things about the propulsion and the power supply, and I recall they were working on some ways to make our craft safer, since there had been so many accidents…" He was up on his feet. "I've got to get information for John. I'll let you know when we make contact."

Not long afterwards he returned to John's desk in the command center, clutching papers and notes. "Bergman calling eagle one, come in John."

"What have you got, Victor?"

"Something interesting, John. I've been looking up the specifications of the original Superswifts. There had been so many failures on our missions, that at the time they were looking at making the craft safer. Since the computer was the heart of each vessel, and a catastrophic computer failure doomed the entire craft, for the Superswift they were planning to have three computers, each running a different system."

"What does that tell us, Victor?

"Well John, if that's what they did, the fact that we're getting nothing from that ship, may not be so dire. The Superswift was to have independent propulsion, communications, and life support. We **know** that ship has power, and propulsion. So, if it's run by three computers instead of one, communications may be out, but life support may be functional! There may be people on that ship, just unable to hear us, or reach out to us!"

"Victor, when we get to that ship, I am going to get Alan to fly reconnaissance around the entire vessel first before attempting to dock."

"Good idea, John. Just be careful. We don't know what kind of weapons they've fitted her with."

"We'll keep our shields up. Meanwhile Victor, what I need you to do is work out for me what we can do with that ship once we've docked… and find it unmanned. Can we stop it? Can we fly it? Can we land it? We may want to use it in future."

"If we can get on that ship, John, and take control of their computers, I don't see a problem. The command module can detach too, and was able to fly independently, and land."

"Well, work on it, Victor. If that ship is unmanned, it's an incredible stroke of luck for us. We can't just let it go. A functional and intact earth vessel… like a gift from the gods."

"I'll get to work immediately, John."

Work in the Uzazi control room continued in silence. From time to time eyes glanced up at the big screen, following the progress of their eagle, and the service department brought some coffee and breakfast. Here and there a technician left, to be replaced by another, and eventually John Koenig's voice broke the silence.

"Preparing to do a reconnaissance flight around the vessel, Berg. We'll send you the feed."

"Careful, Commander!" Paul said. "And good luck!"

The ship was an amazing sight, dwarfing the eagle beside it. Yet, it was easy to see the design continuation. The control module had the familiar viper head shape. The body was elongated and thin, but supplemented with large cylinders that could be removed or reattached and were often used for storage and extra living space. The rocket motors were immense. The eagle flew alongside slowly.

"Still no signal, Paul?"

"Not a thing, Commander."

"Our scanners are also not picking up anything."

The eagle hovered for a moment at the command module of the Superswift as the Alphans tried to look through the ports for life, but the large ship remained lifeless.

"OK, Alan," they heard their Commander's voice. "I see no sign of any threat. Let's prepare to dock."

Alan maneuvered the eagle skillfully alongside the much larger vessel, carefully lining it up for docking. Some of those in the command center were holding their breath, and when the pilot finally announced: "Docking successful," there was a collective but subdued cheer on Berg.

"Let's suit up," John Koenig said. "Until we can get some trustworthy readings from that ship." Not long after that, the seven Alphans were standing in the docking tube between the two vessels. Matthias was running a scanner slowly along the surface of the Superswift door, studying the readout carefully. "Victor, I'm going to have my body cam send you feed, as well as that of Carter." John said.

"Commander," Matthias finally said. "There is atmosphere on this ship… stale, but stable, and definitely breathable."

"Can you get us in?"

Matthias went to work with the electronic lock reader; then finally said: "Entry pad override successful, Commander. We're in."

"Stand back," Koenig said. "Sidearms to stun. Fire only if provoked."

John Koenig took the lead as they entered the tomb-like earth vessel. The first area was obviously some sort of workspace, the floor shining softly in dim lighting, computer stations scattered along the perimeter. But each chair was empty, each monitor dark. The Alphans quietly gathered in the middle of the room.

"Confirm atmosphere, Bob?" Koenig asked, and when Matthias nodded after taking yet another reading, the Commander slowly lifted his visor. The others followed suit, some wrinkling their noses.

"Not very pleasant," Tony Allen remarked. The Alphans looked at each other with horror, realizing what this could mean. But they gratefully slipped off their helmets, placing them on a table.

"Alan, you, Tony and Jim head towards the front of the ship and the command module. Keep your sidearms ready and on stun at all times, but remember, engage only as a last resort. Peter and I will head towards the back; we'll do a back to front reconnaissance first before we take these pods." He gestured to the many hatches and trapdoors scattered along the wall of the room, obviously access to the cylindrical pods connected to the main body. "Bob, I want you and Bill to get the medical rescue equipment from the eagle in here, and set up in case we find casualties. Look around here by all means, but don't leave this room. We'll need to call you if we find anything."

"Berg, are you reading me?" Koenig asked. "We're splitting up now to reconnoiter."

"Loud and clear, Commander," Paul replied. "Good luck… and be careful."

The Command center on Berg could watch both video feeds from Koenig and Carter and everyone was glued to a monitor.

Koenig and Reeves cleared the first room and moved through a sliding door to the next. This appeared to be a recreational/residential area of some kind, with tables, chairs and crates of equipment scattered throughout the room, and recessed bunks around the perimeter.

"John! John!" Victor cried out. "Turn around again. Look at those bunks!"

Koenig turned to focus on the wall of bunks, his expression slowly changing to astonishment. The bunks were short and small, definitely too small for any of the Alphans. "They're bunks for children!" he exclaimed softly.

Back on Berg, looks were exchanged. This changed things a great deal.

Koenig had stepped over to one of the scattered plastic crates and opened it. "Toys!" He placed his knuckles against his lips as the significance of this started sinking in. "Victor! There are children on this ship!" Then, after a moment, he reached for his commlock. "Holster all weapons," he told the team on the ship with him. "I repeat, lock and holster all weapons. If approached, identify yourself clearly, and if accosted, retreat."

Peter Reeves had moved through the next lock, and as Koenig stepped through to join him, he saw the young man frozen in horror, staring at a transparent door set to one side of the room, that appeared to be another recreation area. John was beside the man in a few strides, but he too froze at what he saw through that door.

There was no mistaking the heartrending little piles scattered on the floor behind the door. Six little piles of torn clothing, a few bones sticking out, patches of hair and leathered skin visible here and there. There were audible gasps in the Command center on Berg.

John Koenig stepped towards the door, but Helena, who had since returned to the Command center, called out. "Don't go in there, John! We don't know what killed them." Then she buried her face against Victor's shoulder.

"Bob." John was on his commlock. "We need you and Bill here, with HAZMAT. We've found bodies. Bring… body bags, at least six." Then he turned away from the door, and paced the room furiously, his fists clenched by his sides. Eventually, as Matthias and Steiner arrived pulling two gurneys, he punched his commlock. "Alan? Found anything yet?"

"No Commander, not a soul."

"We found six bodies, Alan. But you guys keeping heading to the control pod."

"Yes, Commander."

Bob Matthias had completed a scan through the transparent door. "There's no radiation, Commander. Nor do I register any pathogens. It seems safe in there, but it won't be pleasant."

Koenig stepped forward, punching the access panel by the door. As it slid open, they were met by the unmistakable odor of decomposition. He stepped carefully to the first heartbreaking pile, knelt down. Matthias joined him.

"Can you tell me how long they have been dead?" John asked.

"Based on the absence of fluids, the leathery skin and bones beginning to show, a few months, Commander." He pointed to the skull. "See, the teeth have fallen out."

John shook his head. "What happened here? Who puts children on a spaceship?" He was clearly overcome as he got up. "Let's get them out of here."

"There's another one here, Commander!" Steiner called out. But when John looked down at that body, he realized that this was not a child, but an adult. And based on what remained of clothes and hair, she had been female.

"And what is this?" Koenig indicated one wall, were 8 recessed rectangles were visible in the wall. The floor was covered in broken glass.

"Victor, do you see this?"

"Yes, John."

"What do you make of it? Do you think the children were in those things?" He gestured angrily at the wall.

"I just don't know, John."

"Ok, Victor, I need you here. I need Helena here. I need you to bring a fully equipped medical rescue eagle. More HAZMAT equipment. We've found seven bodies, but a ship this size, there is bound to be more."

"It's been a while since I flew an eagle, John."

"No, no, Victor. Bring David too. I need him, and you, to find out if you can get into the computer on this thing. We need to know what happened here."

"Yes John. We'll be there as soon as we can."

"Paul, you're in charge on Berg. I want you to broadcast some sort of message to encourage everyone, but from now video feed is restricted. Keep people informed, but they certainly don't need to see anything else like this. We'll make a full report on our return. Now, get that rescue eagle equipped for Victor, Helena and David."

"Yes, Commander."

People in the command unit on Berg were sitting dejectedly in clumps. The horrific images they had been watching had eradicated all the excitement after finding the earth ship.

* * *

By the time the second eagle had docked alongside the first, Alan Carter had returned from the front of the ship with his team. They had found two more adult bodies, but not a single blinking light or functioning monitor in the entire ship. The command pod had been deserted.

"Alan, I'd like you to take your team to the back too. We never got further than the third room."

"Yes, Commander."

They turned as Victor, Helena and David came through the airlock, but no one felt like greeting. Bob Matthias and Bill Riley had loaded all the remains in body bags, and proceeded to transport the sad cargo to the medical eagle.

"I need autopsies immediately, Helena," John said. "I want to know what killed them. I also want to know what kind of fools put children on a spaceship… but that will have to wait."

Victor drew his friend aside. When he spoke, his voice was a whisper. "I have a theory, John. It's not a pleasant one, but at the moment the only one that makes sense to me."

"Let's hear it."

"Why would a civilized, technologically advanced people load up a long range vessel with provisions, and include children?"

John looked at his friend incredulously as the realization began to dawn on him. "A survival ship!"

Victor nodded. "Like you ordered before we entered the black sun. It's the only explanation that makes sense." The two friends looked at each other. It did not bode well for planet earth if this had really been a survival ship.

John turned back to the others, his face a mask.

"David, take Peter and return to the control pod of the ship. Alan saw some equipment there that might have controlled the functions on the ship. And see if you can locate the flight data controller."

"Yes, Commander."

"Victor, I want you to come with me. We need to search these pods around the main ship. We've found 9 bodies so far, but there must be more people here."

"Or more bodies," Victor said with a sigh.

"These pods were mostly used for fuel and storage on long range ships," Victor explained as he climbed the short ladder to the first hatch. "They could be removed and replaced at will. See, this one is sealed from the inside. It is used for fuel, and can only be accessed from outside the ship."

Only by the third pod did they find that they could spin the lock and open the hatch. "Stay behind me, Victor." John said. "I'll go in first, and give the all clear."

Koenig pulled himself through the hatch, rolled away from it and quickly crouched down. The inside of the pod was dark, but his flashlight showed him moon buggies and some other types of ATV-like vehicles parked in neat rows on one side of the hatch, and neatly stacked crates on the other. The pod was tall enough for a man to stand upright.

"It's safe, Victor," he called. They explored the two sides of the pod, but found nothing more.

"Storage," Victor said as they dropped down from the hatch.

The fourth, fifth and sixth pods were exactly the same: filled with equipment and crates, all neatly stacked. But as John climbed into the short tunnel that led to the seventh hatch of the pod on one side of the main body, he stopped. "Victor! This hatch is not closed properly!"

"Careful, John," Victor said behind his friend. Koenig slowly pushed the lock open, and they were greeted with an unmistakable smell. "Oh, no," Victor sighed.

The two men pulled themselves through the lock and stood. At first glance it looked just like the other pods, vehicles parked on one side, but on the other side the crates had been scattered, broken open, and bottles, cans and pouches, some half full but most torn or broken haphazardly, and empty, all over. The two men approached gingerly, and it was not long before they found the first small body. It was not a pleasant sight, but the men knelt.

"It looks as if this one has not been dead as long as the others," Victor observed. "There's still some liquefaction. Of course there is no insect life here, so it would just be the body's own processes. That does tend to slow things down."

John slowly shook his head. "A ship of the dead. It breaks my heart. I'll get Bob in here."

As John moved back to the hatch, Victor continued deeper into the pod. "Another one here, John," he called out. "No… two… together." His voice just about broke. "It looks like they were holding hands."

John put his head in his hands. How much more could they take? But then his head jerked up at the tone of his friend's voice: "John!"

He rushed over, careful where he stepped. Victor was kneeling next to a blanket, clutching a corner of it in his hand. "This one… is still alive…"

They looked at the still, small form: the small, bloated body, limbs no more than sticks, the joints hugely out of proportion, the face nothing more than a skull surrounded with wisps of hair, but the large eyes bulging at them was slowly and unmistakably moving from one face to the other, and then… blinked weakly.

John scooped up the small body in the blanket without a second thought. "Get through that hatch, Victor. I'll hand him to you. Get Helena, get Bob."

Victor had almost flown through the hatch, and now reached for the tiny body. "I'll go see if there are more," John whispered and turned.

Victor looked around for his commlock, but his arms were full. He rushed through the open airlock into the first and from there to the second eagle. Helena and Matthias glanced up from where they were bent over one of the body bags, and saw the bundle in his arms.

"This child is alive!" he exclaimed. "Starving, but alive!" He looked around and reverently placed the blanketed bundle on a gurney. His eyes were filled with tears. "There may be more."

"Go, Bob," Helena said softly. "I'll tend to this one."

Victor followed Matthias too, and Helena bent over the bundle, carefully peeling the blanket away. For a second she glanced at her gloved hands and remembered Victor's bare hands as he had placed the bundle down, but it was immediately obvious that this child was dying of starvation. Huge brown eyes were staring up at her face as she gently rearranged the limbs and proceeded with the extremely difficult task of finding a vein to start an IV.

By the time she had found a vein in the groin and had a very slow glucose drip going, she heard the men again. She stared in astonishment as both Matthias and Victor stepped into the eagle with another bundle each. John Koenig was just behind them. "There was one more body," he said. "Adult. She's dead."

"John," she gripped his arm urgently as the other men lay down the bundles. "We must get them to the medical unit on Berg immediately. We can't waste any time!"

He nodded. "Victor, I'm flying this eagle and Helena and Bob back to Berg immediately. I'll send Vincent and an orderly up with a second medical eagle. I want you to call Bill or Peter or Tony back and go through that last pod. Then find David and see if you can come up with any answers for us. Get Alan to the cockpit and see if you can somehow take control of this ship. We can land her near the settlement on Erath while we investigate, until we know she is safe."

Victor nodded, briefly reached for Helena's hand, then turned and went back into the ship of death they had found, the airlock closing with a soft whoosh behind him. Before him lay an immense puzzle, and the horror they had discovered had left them all shattered, but the three children found alive but in grave danger had provided just the smallest glimmer of hope for them all.

(To be continued…)


	3. Chapter 3: Voice from the Past

**Chapter 3: Voice from the Past**

After clearing the final cylinder and finding it just more storage, Victor headed to the front of the ship with Alan Carter, while the other men discussed and then split up to go over sections of the ship again. Alan and his group had reached the back section, and there finally found some signs of working equipment, obviously the propulsion power supply. The ship was just continuing its journey through space, and while it felt to them as if they were on a stationary object, they knew they were indeed moving pretty fast. It was now up to them to find a way to take over control and somehow set the Superswift down.

Victor stopped in the second section at the nose of the vessel, where David Kano was sitting in front of rows and rows of computer banks, while Alan went through to the cockpit. "You get these computers going, I'll fly her," Alan said.

Kano looked up. "Professor. I've been checking all the circuits to see if there is an obvious issue. I can't get anything to even power on."

"There's obviously some power," Victor replied, indicating the dim recessed lights. "Alan found the back of the ship lit up with lights, but that was propulsion."

"What do you think happened here, Professor?"

Victor shrugged. "I have my theories, but that's all they are. Now, how can I help you?"

David indicated rows of stacked panels. "Well, I found this old tape, and all the circuits I've marked with tape, I've already checked. You could start on the other side. I found some tools and equipment… they're in that tray over there."

"You got it," Victor replied, rolling a chair to the other side. Methodically the men proceeded to remove access panels and pull out the circuit boards one by one, carefully checking them for damage.

They had been working in silence for over an hour, when David Kano let out a low whistle. "Wow, this one is totally fried."

Victor scooted over, and the two men stared at the circuit boards, or what was left of them, tangled in a charred mess behind one of the panels. Kano attempted to pull out the block of melted circuit boards, but it was firmly melted to the framework. "Looks like the cooling unit may have quit working, causing this meltdown. I'll need to work out all these damaged boards and see how far the damage reaches inside. Could you see if there are any spare circuit boards around, Professor?"

"Of course." Victor started going through the cabinets and drawers in the room, while David started trying to pry loose the jumbled mess inside the panel using screwdrivers and pliers.

"See if you can find a soldering kit too, Professor. Some of the wire back here is badly damaged. I'll have to cut it and solder on some new connections."

"Got some!" Victor finally said, bringing over a tray of circuit boards and a soldering kit to Kano.

David indicated a small perforated panel adjacent to the section he was working on. "Could you check behind there, Professor? Looks like it could house the fan for this section, and before we start anything up, we need to make sure it is not damaged too."

Victor nodded, starting to loosen the screws to the panel. The men worked with total concentration for a while; then Kano heard the Professor draw a deep breath. "Oh… oh no…"

Kano bent to look. Inside the panel was indeed a fan, and stuck between two of the blades was a small, stiff hollow pink plastic stick a few centimeters long. Victor used a pair of long-nosed pliers and slowly pulled the stick out from between the blades. When he looked up at David, his eyes were incredibly sad.

"What is it, Professor?" Kano asked.

Victor held it up. It was scuffed and slightly bent where the fan had hit it, but it had been firm enough not to break, and it had obviously jammed the fan. "It's a lollipop stick," he replied, shaking his head. "A child's lollipop stick."

Victor stood up and took the roll of tape from David's tray. Kano watched him move to the other side of the room, visibly overcome, and tape the small pink stick to the bottom of his commlock. Then it started dawning on David, and his mouth dropped open.

"You mean, Professor, that a child had stuck that stick through one of the holes, it caught the fan, caused the circuit boards to overheat, and knocked out almost everything on this ship?"

Victor nodded slowly. "How much more tragedy are we going to find on this damn thing!" Then he composed himself and joined Kano. "What else can I do?"

"I've nearly got all these fried boards out, Professor. I'll be cutting some of these melted wires soon and soldering on some new connections before we slide in new circuits. Not hard work, but slow. Why don't you see what Alan is up to?"

Victor went through to the cockpit and found Alan strapped into one of the pilot chairs. He sat down in the other. "She's absolutely fantastic, Professor," Alan exclaimed. "She has a warp propulsion system for interstellar travel about four times as fast as our eagles, and a regular system for interplanetary travel. Right now she's on the regular system. But I think with communications out, she won't respond. If we can hook her up again with her systems at the back, we're good to go."

Victor looked at the array of instruments, panels, buttons and levers. "She certainly is impressive. But she's a sad, sad ship."

"A ship from earth, filled with death. What were the children doing on it, Professor?"

"Do you remember our journey through the black sun, Alan?"

"Not really, Professor. I remember watching the moon entering it as we were flying the opposite way, and then I remember for some reason how it was suddenly just there again… our moon. But **we** had not gone through the black sun…"

"I'm of the theory that we are on earth's survival ship right now," Victor said. "Just like you were on ours then…"

Alan whistled. "What a thought!" Then he looked at the older man intensely. "But, Professor, if this is a survival ship, what happened… to earth?"

"That's what we hope to find out when we get these computers running again." Victor turned to the young Australian. "Alan, something completely different… once the work is done and we've found out about this ship, and times have quieted down…"

"Yes, Professor?"

"It's been years since I flew eagles from earth to the moon, and they have changed a lot. I'd like to refresh my memory, brush up on my skills, if you have time…"

Alan laughed. "Of course, Professor! Sure! Hey, I can even teach you to fly this baby if you want!"

"Thank you, Alan."

"Professor! Professor!" David's voice sounded through the open port. "I think we're ready!"

Both Victor and Alan joined Kano in the control room. They were ready to fire up the computers to see what they could learn about this vessel of death.

* * *

Back on Berg, Helena Russell and Bob Matthias were bent over the weak, still forms of the three children they had found clinging to life on the ship. John was pacing restlessly outside the intensive care unit. He watched as Helena adjusted some dials, checked IVs and gently placed her hand on each of the three foreheads in turn.

"Are they going to make it?" He asked as she came out the door.

"They are very, very weak John. People suffering from severe starvation are dehydrated and lack the nutrients to make Adenosine triposphate which is needed to store energy for their metabolic processes. They obviously also lack all other nutrients the human body needs, so their organs would have started shutting down. Their body temperature is unstable. We have to bring them back very, very slowly, to avoid problems. No state of starvation is beyond hope, but these children obviously cannot take anything by mouth in their present condition." She looked back into the intensive care unit, where nurses were attending the three small figures. "Two girls and a boy, John. Because they are so malnourished, they look smaller, but I estimate the boy around 10, and the girls around 8. I had initially thought them 4 or 5 years old."

John shook his head sadly. "So much tragedy on that ship. "Gift from the gods, indeed. A very cruel gift…"

Helena rubbed his arm. "We could not have known…"

"I just hope Victor can bring us answers. Last message was that they had found some damaged circuit boards and were replacing them."

She rubbed her face. "I'm exhausted, John, and you must be too. There is nothing more we can do for those children right now but continue slow intravenous feeding and re hydration. I'm going to take a break… you're welcome to join me. I think there's something to eat, and drink. Unless you prefer to go back to Kukua?"

"No, I'd rather stay here. If Victor is ready to transmit from that ship, I want to be here." He followed her to her quarters, where she made them some coffee and dished up a few sliced strawberries.

"Grown right here on Berg," she smiled.

"Perfect." They sat down opposite each other, eating in silence for a while. "Delicious," he commented, then smiled at her. "You look really well, Helena. Even more beautiful than ever."

"After all that?" She gestured vaguely at the door, meaning the trip to the Superswift and their fight in the intensive care unit.

"Even after all that," he countered. "Victor's obviously good for you."

"Yes, yes he is," she agreed softly. Then she laughed. "Oh, he can be exasperating at times, but yes, Victor is good for me." She looked up at John Koenig. "Thank you, John, for granting us the chance."

He reached for her hand, squeezing it softly. "I'll always love you, Helena, and I'll always be there for you… and for Victor. Funny thing is, lately I've realized that my heart is truly happy for you, truly content. It's the strangest thing… I have no anger, no more pain about it…"

She squeezed his had too. "I'm glad, John."

"Now," he said, leaning back in his chair, "I think I'll try and grab a little nap. If you hear anything from the ship, wake me.

* * *

Back on the Superswift, Professor Bergman and Alan Carter had watched with held breath as David Kano slowly fired up the computers. Monitors had come to life, glowing gently, panels had lit up, and Kano's fingers had danced skillfully over the keys while they watched. Finally he turned.

"I think I've got it; some kind of recorded message."

The men clustered around a monitor as David punched a few last keys. Then, suddenly the room was filled with a voice…

"We are the people, a remnant left on earth. If you have found our ship, our request is that you will give these, our most precious possessions, a home. This ship is unarmed, its only mission being to ensure the survival of humankind in the universe.

In September 1999 our planet, earth, suffered a catastrophic event when our moon was blasted out of its orbit. There had been a manned base on our moon, but we presume no one survived the nuclear blast that perpetrated this event. Earth was hit by the edge of the shockwave caused by the explosion, and cataclysmic events happened all over the planet: earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and wild weather, resulting in great loss of life. Our planet could have recovered over time, but in the days after the event, rogue nations concluded that western powers had caused the explosion, and launched many first strike nuclear missiles. Today, most of civilization is destroyed, as some western nations were able to counter launch in the moments before their own demise. Earth is a wasteland, infested with radiation, disease, death and desperation. We, a small group of scientists and astronomers who had survived due to being distant from the big cities that were all destroyed, finally found each other after many months. We are on the continent once known as North America. We have no means of communication with any other parts of earth. We made our way to Stennis Space Research station that miraculously escaped destruction, and our only goal in life had been to launch this survival ship that had been at an advanced stage of construction. We are not well, and it has been a slow, painstaking process. When you hear this message, we will all be dead, but these, our precious children, will ensure mankind is never forgotten. We beg of you to give them a home, to teach them of their history as Homo sapiens, to help them remember that humankind had been capable of more good than bad overall, and we thank you for taking care of these, our most precious belongings."

As the voice died away, the three men stared at each other in unbelief. All this time their greatest desire had been to return to their home, earth, even though most of them had known earth would be different. Now they had just learned that there was nothing to go back to, and to them had been, by some mysterious cosmic twist, entrusted what could very well be the last of mankind from earth.

Kano whistled. "That's a lot to take in."

Victor rubbed his forehead. "We need to get this to John. We also need to get this ship to Erath. Let's find the others. They can start back in the eagles. Alan? Think you up to giving her a try?"

"You bet, Professor."

Victor turned to David. "I'll stay with Alan. Round up the others, and then undock your eagles. We won't do anything until you are safely away. I don't want to broadcast that to Berg," indicating the computer. "We'll play it for John when we've landed this… this tragedy… Let John know you're heading back, David, but keep things under wraps. Tell him Alan and I will bring the Superswift to Erath. He can meet us at the settlement there if he wants. We can do any other work we need to, there."

"Yes, Professor."

"Well, Alan, let's see if we can unscramble this lady's circuits." Victor squeezed the pilots shoulder. "See if you can make contact with the docked eagles."

They strapped themselves into the two cockpit seats. Alan started punching buttons, smiling relieved as he found them responding. After a while, David Kano called on his commlock. "We're undocking the first eagle now, Professor. You guys sure you want to try that thing?"

"Yes, David. If anyone can fly it, Alan can. Remember; let John know when you're safely on your way."

"Look, Professor!" Alan exclaimed. Somehow he had activated some onboard cameras, and they watched on a small screen as the first eagle pulled away from the Superswift. A few minutes later, the second eagle undocked and turned in a big arc to head back to Berg.

"We're away, Professor!" David communicated. "Good luck with that thing!"

Alan grinned at the Professor as he firmly gripped the throttles. "Here we go!" He punched some buttons, pulled a few leavers, and the men felt the huge engines reverberate with power. "Earth men, reunited with an earth ship, carrying a voice from the past!" Then he brought the huge ship around slowly, his eyes filled with awe, and set a course for Erath.

* * *

John Koenig stormed into the Command unit on Uzazi. "They are doing WHAT?"

Paul indicated the screen. "The eagles are heading back Commander. I just heard from David a few minutes ago and let you know. And then that ship… it just started moving… turning… it's heading this way. David said Alan is flying it to Erath, and Professor Bergman is with him."

John banged his fist on his desk. "No! That thing is not safe. We don't know that it's safe."

"Kano said they got the computers going, Commander," Paul said. Helena had appeared in the Command room and stared up at the screen. "David said the Professor was convinced it was safe."

"John? What's going on?"

"See if you can reach them, Paul. Interstellar frequency." He turned to Helena. "Alan is flying the Superswift to Erath," he answered evasively. But she was not so easily fooled.

"Where's Victor?"

"With Alan, in that… thing…"

"This is Berg calling Superswift," Paul started. "Control on Berg calling earth vessel. Do you read me?"

"Loud and clear, Paul!" Alan's voice was exuberant. "Man, this is some baby. The power is amazing. We're on interplanetary propulsion at the moment, but she's a beaut…"

"Alan!" John Koenig didn't know if he was angry or relieved. "We're not sure that ship is safe! You should have asked me…"

"David got the circuits all fixed, Commander," Alan gushed. "She's perfectly safe. We had to bring her in, may as well try now. We're heading to the settlement on Erath."

"I'll meet you there, Alan. Please be careful." He glanced at Helena by his side. "And Alan… tell Professor Bergman he better find some flowers… or even better, diamonds… and a large box of chocolates before you land. I have a feeling someone is going to be in trouble…"

"Yes, Commander!" Alan laughed, as did everyone in the command center. It had been a very stressful day; reminiscent of their days on Alpha, and the humor momentarily lightened the mood.

John shook his head. Alan Carter was a hothead, and a loveable one, but Victor? What had possessed his friend?

"Paul, get an eagle ready to fly to Erath. Have it stocked with supplies… say three days? Get Toshiro Fujita, Angela Robinson, Pete Johnson, Mike Ryan and Bill and Annette Frazer. They'll be going with me. We have a lot of work to do on that ship. Carter and Victor can fly back in the eagle and get some rest."

"Yes, Commander."

"And keep that video feed on the Superswift until it lands."

Paul nodded. "Sure, Commander."

John turned to Helena, threw up his hands. "I don't know what possessed him, Helena. I'm sorry. I obviously would never have allowed that… had I been consulted. Now, do you want to go see the ship?"

"I'd rather stay with the children, John. We have the ship now. I can always go look at it when they are better."

"How are they?"

"I just came from there. Still about the same. They are semi-awake, and obviously terrified. I don't know if they understand me. They may not speak English."

"Hopefully we'll have more answers when that ship lands. If David got the computers going, we'll have access to all the data. If I find anything on the children, I'll let you have it immediately."

"Thanks John." She hooked her arm in his and walked with him towards the door. "Don't worry about Victor, John. We'll be fine. I understand what's going on. Oh, I'm going to give him trouble, of that you can be sure," she said, amusement in her voice, "but I think he's experiencing what you could call a new lease on life, so to speak. And… boys will be boys…"

She watched John stride towards the eagle hangar, smiled to herself, and then turned back to the medical unit.

* * *

"John, you have to listen to this," Victor implored his friend. Alan Carter had set the Superswift down skillfully next to the base on Erath, where it dwarfed everything around it, and John had found his friends in the computer unit behind the cockpit of the huge vessel. "We did not want to broadcast it to Berg. It's not good news, I'm afraid." Bergman punched a few buttons; then closed his eyes as the voice filled the room they were in:

"We are the people, a remnant left on earth. If you have found our ship, our request is that you will give these, our most precious possessions, a home. This ship is unarmed, its only mission being to ensure the survival of humankind in the universe.

In September 1999 our planet, earth, suffered a catastrophic event when our moon was blasted out of its orbit. There had been a manned base on our moon, but we presume no one survived the nuclear blast that perpetrated this event. Earth was hit by the edge of the shockwave caused by the explosion, and cataclysmic events happened all over the planet: earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and wild weather, resulting in great loss of life. Our planet could have recovered over time, but in the days after the event, rogue nations concluded that western powers had caused the explosion, and launched many first strike nuclear missiles. Today, most of civilization is destroyed, as some western nations were able to counter launch in the moments before their own demise. Earth is a wasteland, infested with radiation, disease, death and desperation. We, a small group of scientists and astronomers who had survived due to being distant from the big cities that were all destroyed, finally found each other after many months. We are on the continent once known as North America. We have no means of communication with any other parts of earth. We made our way to Stennis Space Research station that miraculously escaped destruction, and our only goal in life had been to launch this survival ship that had been at an advanced stage of construction. We are not well, and it has been a slow, painstaking process. When you hear this message, we will all be dead, but these, our precious children, will ensure mankind is never forgotten. We beg of you to give them a home, to teach them of their history as Homo sapiens, to help them remember that humankind had been capable of more good than bad overall, and we thank you for taking care of these, our most precious belongings."

John looked at his friend. "That is explosive, Victor! You were right not to broadcast it... all our hopes these years… only to learn this…"

Victor nodded.

"We need to sit on this for a while, until I decide how to share it with our people." He looked around. "Let's seal this part of the ship. I've brought a team who will start an inventory of all the equipment and supplies on board, but after you have had rest, you and Kano, I want you back on the data. We need to know everything."

"We will have the entire journey this ship has taken: trajectory, velocity, navigational beacons; we could reverse plot their course and calculate the relative position of earth, John!"

"I know, Victor, but there's nothing to go back to!"

"Our people don't know that. John. But that's what they're going to be thinking about. We can't keep this from them for too long."

"I understand, Victor. I just need a day or two…"

"How are the little ones, John?"

"Very precarious, but in good hands. Helena is hopeful that given time, they will recover." Koenig smiled at his friend. "A boy, and two girls…"

"Awww," Victor smiled. "Three little rays of hope after those devastating discoveries…" He grabbed his commlock and turned it over. "Look at this, John."

Koenig stared at the small pink plastic stick taped to the communications device. "What is that, Victor?"

Victor shook his head sadly. "The cause, I believe, for the catastrophe set in motion on that ship. A child's lollipop stick, thrust into one of the cooling fans, resulting in the meltdown of a block of circuits… and from there things just spiraled out of control."

"I've mandated 48 hours of rest for all of you who had just returned, Victor. After that, we can come back and start looking for answers. I'm returning to Berg too, but this team will start inventory. It will keep them very busy…" John turned to his friend quite forcefully. "Just tell me, Victor, what possessed you to fly back in this ship with Alan? I had not cleared it. We did not know it was safe. Alan, I can understand, but you?"

Victor shrugged. "I wanted to show Alan I had complete faith in him. And it's an earth ship… even I could see the cockpit was not much different than the craft we use." He looked back at the huge Superswift as they made their way to the tiny eagle. "And you have to admit, she is a beautiful thing!"

"That she is," John agreed. "But in the end, she's not much of a gift from the gods after all." John draped his arm around Victor's shoulder. "Come, I'll fly you and Alan back. You're going to have some explaining to do… but not to me," he grinned, seeing the puzzlement in his friend's eyes. "I was easy… but you'll be returning to the greatest enigma in the known universe… the heart of a woman, and it is not easily appeased…"

(To be continued…)


	4. Chapter 4: Secrets from the Superswift

**Chapter 4: Secrets from the Superswift**

Helena returned from the medical center, having checked on the three children, to find Victor sprawled on the bed on his stomach, fully clothed, fast asleep. She smiled, studying him affectionately for a few moments, before starting to pull off his boots. He groaned and mumbled, trying to pull his feet away, but as she persisted, he finally opened his eyes slowly.

"Hey, you," she smiled.

"Helena!" He turned on his side and reached for her.

She tossed the boots on the floor and stretched out beside him. "Tired?" she laughed.

"Uh… I guess… I was coming to look for you, but I just sat down for a minute…" His eyes, filled with sleep, held hers as he stroked her hair.

"I was checking on the little ones," she said. "They're fighters. I think, Victor, they will all recover!"

"Oh, that's great news! Helena… the stuff we found on that ship… complete tragedy… they simply must make it…" He kissed the tip of her nose; then studied her face. "Our planet… earth… is a devastated ruin. That **was** a survival ship, just as I thought, and those children, the hope of mankind."

She stared at him as his words sunk in. "You mean… we can't go back, ever?"

"Oh, we can go back. There's just nothing to go back to. At least not according to that ship. John heard the message too, but so far, the rest have not." He rolled on his back and she rested her head on his shoulder as she tried digesting his words.

"Nothing to go back to? Did losing the moon cause that much upheaval?"

She felt him shake his head. "Earth was devastated by a nuclear war after it lost the moon," he sighed. "The worst of man's nature took over in those first days after 13 September. The message on that ship made my blood turn cold."

She pushed herself up to meet his eyes. "Nuclear war?"

"That message. It said rogue nations ascribed the lunar explosion to western powers, and launched their nuclear warheads. The West retaliated…" He closed his eyes and sighed deeply, "and not much of civilization, if it ever had been that, is left."

"How did those children get on the ship?"

"The message said… some people who survived, found one another and made it their final mission… to send those children with the hope that they would be found… and given a home, to assure mankind's continued survival in the universe. I'm sure, once we get further into the data, we'll learn much more, but that's about all we know for now."

She could hear the tiredness in his voice; not just physical exhaustion, but a deep emotional weariness, and she ran her hand across his chest. "You need to rest, Victor. You've all been through a very traumatic experience."

"Yes, yes." His voice was pensive, his eyes studying her face.

Somehow, she understood his need, and knelt over him, bending down, their lips meeting, her hair cascading down to softly caress his face. His hands sliding under her tunic were urgent, as if he needed her desperately to exorcise the horror of what he had found on that ship. His gaze held hers, never wavering, as they undressed each other and joined in a frantic union. Afterwards, their bodies slick and glistening, she simply relaxed in his arms as he finally fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Just about everyone on Berg had at some point or another come to glimpse the three children in the intensive care unit. While still far from recovered, the little ones were clinging to life grimly, showing brief periods of more lucidity, but none of the children had said a word yet.

"We're getting more and more information about them from Victor and David," Helena explained to John. "This one…" she gently took the hand of the young boy, "is Kevin. Kevin McMurry." They boy's eyes were fixated on hers and she smiled gently at the young face. Then she took John aside. "His parents were astrophysicists. Neither of them was on that ship."

They went to her office and sat down. She indicated a thick ream of printouts on her desk. "There were 12 children on that ship, 4 boys and 8 girls. I'm not quite sure who our two girls are, their faces are too emaciated, but I found 'KmcM' marked on one of the boy's tattered pieces of clothing. But there is detailed information on all the children." She looked at John sadly. "When we complete the autopsies, we should be able to at least match the remains to the names."

"The information coming from that ship is simply staggering," John sighed. "At some point, soon, we'll have to let everyone listen to that message. Victor and David are compiling the most relevant data to share at the same time."

"Knowing what we know now, John, would you go back?"

"Well, those people, the remnant as they call themselves, emphasize that they have no communication outside of North America, and get no news from the rest of the world, so, based on that horrific list of cities that had been destroyed, there could be areas of earth relatively unscathed. We may not be able to go back and make a difference now, but our descendants on Berg could return to an earth slowly recovering, and recolonize."

He got up, pacing her small office. "Anyway, you, me, Victor, David and Alan are the only ones who have heard that message. I want us to meet and discuss a strategy. I also want to bring the Superswift to Berg. We know it is not emitting any radiation, and it would save a lot of travel time. But we need to parse the information and let our people know. They must be burning to know what's going on. Keeping the ship "hidden", so to speak, on Erath, may not be the best strategy."

"I agree John. I heard a few of the orderlies talking about it… and while the children remain a main concern for most of us, the secrets of that ship won't be far behind."

"We don't want people to start obsessing about it, and coming up with fantastic conspiracies again. Now that the data banks have given up the first information, we simply have to communicate it to our people. We can return to our regular schedule too; we need to continue that tunnel, otherwise, Victor informed me, it may just freeze up again, and we'll lose the time we've already invested."

"Whenever you need me ready, John, I'll be. The little ones are sufficiently stabilized; all we can do now is wait."

"We'll probably fly to Erath, meet on the ship, then fly it back to Berg, kill two birds with one stone. By the time we land, we'll be ready to gather our people and bring them up to speed."

* * *

"We've pretty much reconstructed the timeline of this ship's journey, that is, of course, until the computers up here were knocked out," David Kano began. "We also have a fairly comprehensive picture of what earth was like just before this ship was launched."

"From the perspective of that remnant in North America," John countered. "We'll never know what it was like in other parts of the world, and while the aftermath of nuclear explosions all over the planet would have been extreme, large groups of humans, especially those in isolated rural areas, could have survived. I've done some research the last few days…"

"Yes, Commander," Kano agreed. "The initial result of widespread detonations would have caused enormous amounts of smoke, ash and debris, effectively shielding earth from the sun, causing temperatures to drop. Areas within blast zones would be inundated with radiation, but you are right: isolated and rural communities would have been largely intact, and in more primitive societies may not even have been aware of the war. However, depending on **how** the detonations were set off, I suspect some countries could have focused on atmospheric detonation, resulting in an electromagnetic pulse that would have wiped out all communications and technology mankind had been relying on. Based on the information we've mined so far, I strongly believe that that to be the case."

"Man's inhumanity to man," Victor whispered. "I'm inclined to agree with David. The infrastructure on earth was more seriously affected by EMP than actual ground detonation."

"I just can't get my mind around it all," Alan sighed. "Things seemed so hopeful in the 1990s, nuclear powers disarming, the world seemingly reaching towards mutual cooperation and peaceful coexistence."

John studied his friends. They had all certainly been trying to absorb a lot of devastating data during the last couple of days. "Man's intentions may have been heading for a paradigm shift, but when faced with sudden, unexplained events, base fears had resulted in rash, destructive action: destroy that which you fear because you do not understand it."

"Well, the Space Commission certainly, in my opinion," Victor said, "did not give people enough information to make sense of what was going on. While it is true that they might have been somewhat in the dark themselves, no one could have doubted the nuclear footprint of the detonation on the moon. But they must have suspected. Yet, politics prevailed, and while they had been debating politically correct responses to feed the general populace and keep themselves squeaky clean, less stable minds had been drawing their own conclusions."

"The remnant gives very detailed reports of events of those first few days," David continued. "Then, of course, as the first cities are struck, it becomes more fragmented. For later information, they too had to rely on piecing together fragments of news as groups of survivors started meeting up and shared information. It appears that Pakistan, still angry at being ousted out of most of the space program by India, launched at India first. North Korea seemingly also detonated a device, even though it was believed at the time they possessed no nuclear capabilities yet. India retaliated, and from there it simply escalated: Russia and China firing hundreds of warheads. Israel retaliated when the port of Haifa was hit, and before long Europe unleashed their weapons in a devastating chain reaction."

"Why? Just why?" Helena asked with a sigh.

"Fear," Koenig answered. "Uncertain as to what caused the detonation on the moon, and with not enough information to draw rational conclusions, and of course unable to reach us and simply presuming all of us, from many different countries, annihilated, the power mad and already unhinged leaderships of some countries presumed an act of war. On hindsight of course, it looks incomprehensible to us, but remember, earth was already unstable because of the cataclysmic event of losing its moon. But, we can debate the cause and effect for hours and never come to a conclusion that makes sense to us. We need to prepare the information to present to our people, so that we can make our own decisions, and continue with our lives here… or elsewhere…"

"Elsewhere?" Alan asked. "You mean we might even consider going back… there?"

"We can't exclude that possibility, Alan. That ship had been traveling for a little over a year. With its capabilities now at our disposal, that puts earth very much within our reach. But first, back to the data."

"The databank has given us a list of cities eventually destroyed," David Kano said, his voice heavy. Then, he read: "New Delhi, Islamabad, London, Paris, Washington DC, Houston, Jerusalem, New York City, Tokyo, Sydney, and Beijing. The list becomes more fragmented after this, no doubt as communications started to break down, but I've been able to construct a list based on all the snippets from the data bank." The Alphans listened with bowed heads. "In North America: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas, Chicago, Detroit, St Louis, Toronto, Quebec, Montreal, Vancouver, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston and most of the big cities on the Eastern Seaboard. In Europe: Dublin, Amsterdam, Madrid, Rome, Munich; in Asia: Shanghai, Mumbai, Osaka, Karachi, Kolkata, Guangzhou, Seoul, Bangkok; in Australia: Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide; Auckland in New Zealand; in Africa: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Cairo; the Middle East: Tehran, Istanbul, Baghdad, Riyadh, Tel Aviv, Dubai, Beirut, Aleppo, Damascus, Mecca. Devastation was severe in the Middle East, centuries old feuds no doubt causing more widespread retaliation."

"The world completely out of control," Victor said, shaking his head.

"Hundreds of millions of people would have died in those first few strikes. Then, as radiation spread and communications and technology broke down, hundreds of millions more. If there were functioning emergency services left, they would have quickly become overwhelmed. Panic is a killer: it fosters irrational behavior and I expect for months after the initial events the majority of people would have been unable to cope," John Koenig commented.

"I don't think we need to present people with a list of those cities," Victor interjected. "Many of our people may come from there, and it would no doubt increase the severity of the shock at the information they would have to process."

"You're right, Victor. We can simply inform them at the outset that many of our big cities were hit."

"What about the uncertainty factor?" Helena counter offered. "People often do better when there is some sort of finality. It might help them reach some form of closure more quickly."

"Let's make the list available then," John suggested. "Those who need to know should be able to access it."

They all nodded in agreement.

"So, what do we do first, Commander?" Alan asked. "Play them the message?"

"Yes. They need to hear from the ship itself first. We can then present the most pertinent data, absent our speculation. Other data can be made available for access."

"We would need some form of support system in place as people process the information," Helena mused. "Counseling. We may have to bring some medical personnel on board first, so they have time to prepare themselves. Like us, they'll be dealing with their own shock, but as professional people, they can distance themselves enough to be able to offer comfort."

"Very wise suggestion, Helena. Draw up a list from your department ASAP."

"We'll have to include a little information about the purpose and launch of this ship, John," Victor reminded them.

"Yes, Victor. I'd like you to handle that. Just a very brief history, an outline. It may provide the only bit of good news, if it can even be called that: that there were people left on earth capable of completing this ship and sending off their precious cargo. People have been rooting for those kids. Understanding the reason for them being here would foster… hope."

The Alphans stood up, their feelings subdued by the darkness of the information they had been asked to digest. "Alan, I'd like you to prepare to fly her to Berg. Victor, you, Helena and David can return in the eagle. I'll fly with Alan."

"Yes, Commander."

Koenig walked with his friend, Victor, to the room with the airlock, while Helena and David gathered a few last things and followed them. But John did not stop in that room, he led Victor back to that third room, the very first one where they had found the initial six tiny bodies. "Have you figured out what happened here, Victor?"

"The first reports detailing the flight of this ship was comprehensive, John, but after communications broke down, it became… erratic. David and I have been piecing it together, and I'll present you with our report before the meeting. Some of it is speculation on our part, but there was a point where, after a tragic accident resulted in the first loss of life, things simply started spiraling out of control. You must remember, preparations to launch this ship was made under the most extreme circumstances, by people perhaps not entirely qualified to do so, and while they no doubt took every precaution, even then the crew was not fully prepared for an undertaking of this magnitude. It was event born out of desperation."

Victor indicated the broken glass, the recessed cubicles in the wall of the room. "I believe those were aquariums, John. And faced with death from thirst and hunger, that group took shelter in there with one of the remaining adults. Already weakened, perhaps delusional, they broke the aquariums to access the water and whatever else had been in there, to stay alive."

John shook his head. "Unbelievable. Well, Victor, you, Helena and David get back to Berg, and if possible, get a little rest. Alan and I will set her down some distance from our communities, and post a guard, just to be sure. We'll schedule the meeting with our people for early tomorrow."

"You got it, John."

"Thank you, Victor, for the work you and David have been doing. I know it can't have been easy, dealing with all the data on disaster."

Victor shook his head. "Yes John, one would have hoped that mankind's intellectual evolution had led them to cooperate when they lost their moon, but it seems that hatred, distrust, selfishness and violence is so deeply embedded in our genes that it can't be overcome. I just hope that we, on our lone, long journey, have learned a bit more and find ourselves at the point where that sort of irrational fear would prohibit that kind of behavior." But, as the two men looked at each other, they realized that they could not know at all.

* * *

For days after the meeting on Berg, people wandered around as if in a daze. The medical center was inundated with those overwhelmed with feelings of despair, the staff allocated to assist with counseling barely able to keep up. Scuffles had broken out on occasion as people unable to deal with the emotional impact of the information, attempted to vent in other ways. Security was also kept busy, and a curfew of sorts had been imposed. Helena Russell and Bob Mathias lamented the numbers of people that had to be medicated to stabilize the emotional climate on Berg.

In Kukua, a small group of Alphans defied the curfew to meet clandestinely in an uncompleted structure some distance away from the main settlement. They had arrived separately, with great caution, greeting each other with somber faces.

"Do you believe all that?" Pete Johnson opened the discussion. "The stuff they told us?"

"We heard the message from the ship," Ann Coulther whispered. "Why would they make it up?"

"I'll tell you why," Terry Bannion replied forcefully. "They're trying to keep us away from that ship. That ship holds the information for our return to earth, and they want to keep us in the dark while they secretly embrace that possibility for themselves!"

"But we've had access to much of the information ourselves," Joan Conway countered.

"Only what they **want** us to have access to! Remember, David Kano is quite capable of reprogramming those computers on the ship. Bergman no doubt would be eager to help. And why would they post a guard at that ship 24/7? They must be hiding something!"

"I don't think Commander Koenig would do that to us." Ann tried again, to be a voice of reason.

"Koenig is angry and jealous," Mandy Lindsey spat. "He'll no doubt take Doctor Russell and his true friends on the ship and leave us here with the Professor. He's just pretending everything is ok."

"He's treating them well enough," Jerry Travis suggested.

"You men don't know." Mandy narrowed her eyes, her voice filled with venom. "He's in love with the Doctor, and he should be with her. And she with him. But he's trying to keep it together for the sake of appearances. He's such a wonderful, strong man."

"I agree with Mandy," Joan said, her hand on the knee of one of the security men, Fred Dobson. "He wanted to kinda keep us together, so it's all an act. But this is his chance! We have to make sure he takes those of us on his side, with him."

"So you think he's planning to take that ship back to earth, even if things are as bad as those reports say?"

"Well they did say some areas may be fine."

"How many people can that ship take?"

"See that's one of the things they haven't told us. They don't want us know. But it's big, I'm sure it could take a lot of us… maybe, fifty?"

"You don't know that," Jerry Travis countered.

"They said they found 14 bodies. And those kids. At least 20 then."

"You guys are really just blowing this all up in your imaginations," Melita Kelly whispered. "I really don't think the Commander and our other leaders would do that. I'm sure they're just as devastated as we are about all of this."

"You've always been a bit against us, Melita," Joan said, with a look of annoyance at the girl. "I don't know why you bother to come."

"I'd like to keep my options open. I generally don't trust those in authority."

"She's got a head on her shoulders!" Terry Bannion exclaimed. "She knows that power corrupts."

"Well," Pete Johnson interjected. "All of us agree that they're plotting some things in secret and trying to make everything look normal. But we need to plan what we're going to do to force the Commander to listen to us if he won't do it voluntarily."

"What we have to do," Terry Bannion said, "is take that ship, so we can see for ourselves. And prepare it. Then invite the commander and Doctor Russell. They will of course be overjoyed that we pre-empted their plans and did the hard work for them. It'll help them safe face a little, pretending to their friends they have no choice but to go with us. Perhaps we can ask Alan Carter. He was one of us once, but they've been poisoning his mind, no doubt."

"A handful of us? Taking that ship? It's impossible."

"We have more people on our side," Pete Johnson confided in them. "And I know there were weapons found on that ship. I know where they secretly hid them on Erath, without telling anyone. Powerful weapons! Of course we won't do this right now. We have a lot of planning to do too. I just don't plan to be left here when that cozy little group who supposedly acts in our interest, make their getaway. No matter what you believe about Koenig and Russell, and Bergman for that matter, they are hiding enough from us to make me very suspicious."

They all nodded in agreement. And as the group began dispersing, each member quietly and cautiously starting to make their way back to Kukua, Terry Bannion pulled Ann Coulther aside. "Keep an eye on that Kelly girl. I don't trust her. If she's carrying stories, we may have to deal with her very, very soon."

(To be continued…)


	5. Chapter 5: Unrest

**Chapter 5: Unrest**

"Look, John!" Victor Bergman was dragging his friend into the medical unit and to the observation windows at intensive care.

Kevin McMurry was sitting up, obviously still very weak and being supported gently by the shoulders by Helena Russell, but definitely sitting up, looking around, looking more alert.

John smiled at his friend. "That's the best news I've seen in days, Victor!"

"None of them have spoken yet, and they are far from out of the woods, but they are fighting gallantly."

"Excellent! If only progress here on Berg could be so positive. Since we've had that meeting, I'm not sure what to do to lift these people's spirits."

"Time, John. It will take time for them all to process the information. Getting back to a routine is the best way."

"Speaking of routine, Victor, how's the drilling going?"

"A team started up again yesterday. I'm going to head there for a few days, just to keep an eye on things. Paul told me there has been a request for an eagle to go to Erath to pick up some equipment that was in left in storage there; I'll go with that eagle."

"A request for an eagle? I've not heard a thing."

"Oh John, just some building materials from Erath, Paul said."

"Ok. Well, good luck Victor. If I had my choice, you'd stay out of that tunnel, but I guess there's not much chance of that."

Victor laughed. "You know I'll be careful, John. In my opinion you're left with the more difficult situation here."

John stood looking through the observation windows for a while after Victor had left. Eventually, Helena came outside to join him.

"That's a beautiful sight, Helena, seeing the children slowly improving."

She nodded. "They're still very weak, but I'm sure in a few days time they'll be able to start taking food by mouth." She pushed open the door to her office. "I think, from finishing several of the autopsies, and reading the information on the children, that our girls are Sheena Harris, aged 7 and Victoria Delray, 8. Victoria's mother was one of the staff on board the ship. She had been a teacher."

"Yeah, the report on the crew, staff and children was very comprehensive. As was the timeline of events as they started unfolding. It seems that ship was doomed from the start."

Helena indicated the thick pile of printouts on her desk. "I've been reading through it as I get time, but, we've been rather busy with patients apart from the children. Not since our moon first broke away from earth had we dealt with so much depression and despondency."

"We'll get back to normal schedules for everyone by tomorrow. We do still have communities to build, and our own survival is by no means secure. The ship will remain the focus in the minds of many people for a while, but we all need to refocus on Uzazi and Kukua."

"Talk about focus, John, Victor has been showing the children photographs of the ship, and sharing with them much of what he learned about earth just before they left on that ship, from the data they've reconstructed. He's of the opinion that it might help them adjust, might ground them a bit in all this uncertainty. They have no idea where they are and must be terrified."

"What do you think?"

"I think it's a good idea. Of course we're not sharing with them what we found on the ship. It's still much too early for that, but at some point, when they are much, much stronger, they'll have to know some way or another. We've observed them looking from face to face, obviously searching for a familiar one."

"It would have been helpful had just one of those adults survived. Not just for the sake of the children, but it would have given us so much more information about those last, desperate days on the ship."

"I think those adults gave their all to ensure the children's' survival."

"I think you're right. It breaks my heart that they were not even aware of the provisions in those extra storage pods, as in preparing the ship, the remnant had not thought to thoroughly explore the pods. From their notes, they presumed they were fuel pods."

"And when they lost those first two crew members in that tragic space walk, the two most experienced crew, their fate was almost sealed. The life support systems continued automatically, and the ship went on its way, but then their water purification plant became contaminated…"

"Then, finding the chemicals that had leaked onto some of the food supplies when their nurse fell ill. They were just doing their best from that point to ensure survival until someone found them."

"Isn't it strange, John, how that ship found its way to us?"

He nodded slowly. "We've dealt with this before; the feeling that some cosmic force somehow intervenes. Frankly, it scares me sometimes. I just wish that "force", if it is such, had intervened earlier to save all of those children."

Helena's commlock beeped, and she opened her door to find Bob Mathias outside.

"You have a moment, Doctor?"

"Of course, Bob."

Koenig stood up to leave, but Mathias motioned for him to stay. "You might want to hear this too, Commander."

"What's up, Bob?

"Well, one of my girls has not shown up for her shift at all today. She's the reliable sort, so, I had it checked out. Security tells me she's not at her residential unit in Kukua. And we can't seem to trace her commlock."

"Had she been depressed lately?"

"No Commander. She's actually one of those who've not taken the news from that ship too hard."

"She's not with friends maybe?" Doctor Russell asked.

"Melita is not the kind to just not show up for work, Doctor. Even if she was with friends, perhaps not well and them taking care of her, she would have let us know."

"Melita? Melita…?" Koenig scratched his cheek. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"Melita Kelly, Commander. She was one of the girls helping me on Erath, when we had those dissidents. She infiltrated their group."

"Yes!" John snapped his fingers. "I remember now, pretty brunette."

"She's not with a team on Erath?" Helena asked.

"No, Doctor."

"Wait… Victor told me, an eagle was going there; a request had been made that some things were needed in Kukua. Could she be on it?"

"Once again, Commander, she would not have just left without letting us know."

"Well, Bob, check with Erath. They'll probably be staying until lunar morning time. She must be somewhere. There's not much place for people to disappear to here, they tend to stay close to the communities."

"Yes, Commander."

Helena laid her hand on Mathias' sleeve. "I'm sure we'll find her soon, Bob, and there will be a simple explanation."

* * *

By the next day, however, there was still no sign of Melita Kelly. John Koenig, Helena Russell and Bob Mathias were meeting again, in John's office at the command center in Uzazi.

"She's not with any team on Erath, Commander," Mathias reported. "Security gained access to her residential unit, and there's no sign of her. Her commlock is gone too."

"People can't just disappear here," Koenig said, exasperated.

"Even her friends are getting worried, Commander."

"We'll get on it right away Bob. I'll get a team from security to search every inch between Kukua and Uzazi. She may have had an accident between the two communities."

"Thank you, Commander."

As Mathias left, John looked at Helena. "What do you make of this?" he asked. "Do you think the events of the last few days may have unhinged someone… and they hurt her? God forbid. That's all we need, some lunatic on the loose."

"I don't know John. I'm pretty sure we've been treating those who became most upset by the events after we found that ship, but one can never be sure."

"I've never been certain we rooted out the dissidence from Erath completely, Helena. It has always been in the back of my mind. And adding that ship to the equation; most people know that it would be able to help us pinpoint the position of earth. Emotional identification with that ship is just the kind of thing I want to avoid, hence my around the clock guard on the Superswift."

"Do you really think people would want to go back, John, now they know what earth would be like?"

"No telling, Helena. Many of our people must have lost a great deal back on earth. Families, friends… and I'm getting to the point where I believe that even if we end up understanding every atom in the universe, we'll never understand the human psyche. No telling what some people will do." He looked up at Helena, and she read the concern in his eyes. "I've been worried for you… and Victor."

"Why, John?"

"I'm not blind, Helena. I've been aware for a while now that there is a group of people, mostly in Kukua, who are quite openly hostile to the relationship."

She looked down.

"I promised myself when you first came to me, that I wouldn't interfere, that I would allow the two of you to… fight your own battles." He placed his hand on hers reassuringly. "I think, out of respect for my authority, and because I obviously approve, people have been holding back." His eyes met hers. "And I do approve, Helena, with my whole heart. Anyone else… it would have been a different story."

She squeezed his hand. "Thank you, John."

"But, people are not blind either, Helena. Either the beautiful doctor is living so well here on Berg she's put on a few pounds, or… well…" He smiled, somewhat embarrassed. "I know of course, so perhaps it's just more obvious to me, but you are beginning to show, just a little, and… people don't know, but oh, do they gossip."

She sighed. "With everything going on, we've just not even thought about that."

"Both you and Victor have been incredible at helping others, Helena. You've neglected taking care of yourselves. Are you…," He took a deep breath. "I promised myself I'd never ask, but, are you two going to get married?"

"We've talked about it often, John. Victor and I both feel that… it is so "earth". We made some private vows, but we're not encumbered by the laws of earth where a little piece of paper would give us benefits like tax breaks, insurance and so on. We both feel that it is not necessary."

John chuckled. "Free spirits, huh? Would never have taken the two of you for that."

"Our lives have been so constricted John. We're just overwhelmed with the sudden freedom to be human again, to enjoy healthy feelings; we almost want to consciously avoid the trappings of the past."

"Well, it does make some sense. To me, at least. But to those who continue to hold the traditional views, I'm not so sure." He stopped. "I hope you don't mind me talking to you like this?"

She shook her head. "Not at all, John. I value it."

"It would be a little harder to speak to Victor about it," he confessed. "But, to get back to my original point: I've been concerned for the two of you, but I have no idea what to do about it, or if I should even do anything."

"It's just been some remarks here and there, John. Some, hurtful, but mostly petty. People who don't understand my history with Victor, our history as friends, people who look at his age… which is really not that much different…"

"Bob has reported some to me, Helena: a few incidents in the medical unit. And I have noticed some hostility towards Victor while he was working in Kukua, and then at the tunnel site. Of course he hardly notices it, which in itself is a concern." John smiled. "If it was in my power, I'd suggest the two of you head for Bermuda, or the Caribbean, and just enjoy a break together."

They both laughed. "I'm sure it's not as serious, John. New things will come along to occupy people's minds, and we'll soon be old news. The children are a great focus, Sandra's baby will be a wonderful focus, and we do have a few marriages coming up in the not too far future..." She looked up at John. "John, knowing what you know now, would you go back to earth?"

"I don't know, Helena, but I doubt it. I keep replaying everything in my head, wondering if we are meant to go back, with everything that we know, that we have, that we have learned. I keep wondering if we would be the ones to make a difference, to rebuild our planet, but mankind is a resilient species. They will rebuild, with or without us. The idea of crowded cities, millions of people, politics, crime, high finance, the rat race, things I once found challenging and even entertaining, have lost their appeal for me. And we have the only space program left from earth. It would be hard to find a niche."

"Most of those things are gone, John. The cities, the rat race…"

"Maybe not. And if mankind rebuilds, that's what they'll rebuild towards, towards the way it was. We've been through so much on Alpha, but one thing we have gained… you and Victor are correct. We've gained a freedom man has not had in centuries, and I've grown somewhat attached to that freedom."

"So, what do we do with that ship?"

"Our children, or their children, might make the choice to go back, Helena. We'll preserve it, improve on it, even use it for other space travel instead. Alpha Nova does not have to be our only world."

"And if there are people, John, who want to go back? What would you do then? Would you let them go?"

"Luke and Anna have been on my mind often lately, and how we left them on Arkadia to fulfill what they believed was their destiny. We cannot keep people from their destinies, but our destiny may be here, on Berg, away from the continuing effects of the nuclear war on earth, to ensure the future of a healthy mankind in space."

* * *

"Commander! Security reports an attempt at breaking through the perimeter guard at the Superswift!"

John Koenig sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Tell them I'm on my way, Paul. Get Alan and Tony to meet me at the eagles here in Kukua."

"Yes Commander. The breach was unsuccessful, but they couldn't catch who it was."

"Thank you Paul. Keep me informed."

Koenig pulled on his old, familiar uniform. Most of the Alphans still wore their Alpha uniforms for their work shifts, as if they were reluctant to let go. For John it was just convenient.

Alan and Tony met him at the eagles, both yawning. "What's up, Commander?"

"We've had an attempt to breach security at the Superswift."

"Anyone hurt? Do we need to take a rescue pod?"

"No one hurt. We just need to find out what's going on. I don't like it."

"We're on it, Commander."

The eagle touched down beside the Superswift not long afterwards. The Security unit was waiting.

"Here, Commander!" They led the party to an area where the vegetation had obviously been disturbed, and footprints were visible. "We've searched the whole area several times, Commander. We could hear them… look… " They pointed out a tree scarred with laser fire. "They fired at us, but it was as if they missed on purpose, to get us to chase them. We couldn't see who it was."

"Alright. Groups of two. Scour the entire area one more time. Alan, you come with me. We'll check out the ship." But despite carefully combing the area, and going over the ship inch by inch, not a further sign of any intruder was found. It was a tired group of men who finally returned to Kukua after a fresh guard had been posted.

Koenig walked into the command unit. "Paul, call the groups on Erath, check that they're all ok. There was definitely someone at that Superswift, but we found no one. Get me Professor Bergman if you can."

"Yes Commander."

"John?" Victor's face appeared moments later on the communications panel.

"Are you ok, Victor?"

"Yes, John. What's wrong? We're fine. Except for being woken in the middle of the "night" period," Victor chuckled.

"We just had an incident here, Victor. Someone tried to breach security at the Superswift."

"Oh no! Are you ok, John."

"Yes, Victor. No one was hurt. Go get some rest. But Victor…"

"Yes, John?"

"Keep your eyes open. We've had a few strange things happening here. I'll tell you when you get back, but just be careful for now. Return to Berg tomorrow."

"Yes, John. You get some rest too."

Koenig turned to Paul Morrow. "Can you update me on the search for that girl?"

"Nothing has been found, Commander. There is simply no trace of her."

"Instruct the search parties to enlarge the radius of their search when they resume tomorrow, Paul. And schedule a command conference for late tomorrow."

"Yes, Commander."

"I'm going to get a little more rest, but I'll just do it right here," Koenig said. "Wake me if anything else happens." He turned into his small office, closing the door behind him. Then he thought of something and punched his commlock: "Paul, get technical to install some cameras around the Superswift, and record the feed. I don't know if we are dealing with simple thieves, or if something else is going on, but we need to find out." Then he stretched out on his couch, closed his eyes, and tried to get a few more hours of rest.

* * *

"What are you doing, Fred!" Toshiro Fujita yelled, rushing at Fred Dobson. "Look at the tension reading on that cable! Tighten it, tighten it!"

"It slipped, it just slipped," the man replied, stepping away from the winch control. "I couldn't control it!"

Fujita stepped to the controls and began punching in commands. "Well, it's responding perfectly now." He looked at the young security man. "What are you doing in here anyway? Where's Smitty?"

"Had to go walk the dog, didn't he," Dobson replied. "He just asked me to watch things for a few minutes. That's when it happened; I heard a squeal and that gauge just went crazy."

Fujita studied the instruments and then turned to the communications console. It had been turned off. He punched it up. "Professor, are you ok down there?"

"Yes, Toshiro, it's just the damndest thing though! The cable seemed to have slipped. I've been trying to call you the last few minutes."

Toshiro Fujita glared at Dobson again. "Get out of here. Get me Smitty. Stay in the eagle and start on a report until I can talk to you."

Dobson turned on his heel and with a furtive smile, unseen by the other technician, hurried out.

"Professor, what is your position now?" Fujita called on the console. "Can we pull you up?"

"Not yet, Toshira. The cable slipped and the cradle dropped a few meters suddenly. It was too sudden for me to get crampons into the ice. And when the cable recovered, part of the cradle became stuck under some of the pipe mesh not yet attached to the tunnel wall!"

"Can you work it free, Professor?" Toshiro turned around as Smitty entered the winch control room.

"What's going on?" He rushed to the controls.

"Look, this is also disabled!" Fujita called out angrily. He turned on the body cam video feed. "What possessed you, Smitty? You were supposed to be in charge here until the Professor surfaced."

"Dobson said I was needed urgently in the eagle, and that he had been sent to spot me. When I got there though, there was no one."

Fujita studied the body cam images from Bergman. "Well, let's sort this first. The cradle seems to be dangling almost upside down in that tunnel, with the back stuck under the mesh here. Professor, if we make the cable slack and lowered you to the end of the tunnel, would the cradle un-jam?"

They watched the scientist trying to turn himself in the cradle so he could look.

"I don't think so, Toshiro. It looks like the cradle harness is tangled in some of the mesh openings."

"Can you work the cradle free somehow?"

They watched as Bergman jerked and tried moving the cradle. "No… it seems…" he said between grunts, "that it's really tangled. The mesh is much stronger than the cradle. I'm not able to break it. And I'm not in a very comfortable position to be able to work at it."

"I can see that, Professor." The upper part of Victor's body was facing down, away from the mesh and the tangled cradle, rendering him almost unable to reach the mesh, which was behind and above him.

"Can you turn yourself around in the cradle Professor? By just undoing one carabiner on your harness at a time?"

"I don't think so, Toshiro." They watched as Victor tried to reach behind him for some of the carabiners. "Wait, wait, I can reach some of these. It'll be much simpler for just me to just get out of this cradle and lower myself to the end of the tunnel. From there I can hook up again and you can winch me up."

"You know the Commander said nobody is to be un-tethered down there, Professor!"

"I know Toshiro! But these are not normal circumstances. I'll be loose for just a few minutes, and except for a few centimeters of water, the end of the tunnel is firm!"

"I have to call the Commander first, Professor."

"No, Toshiro! It's just a small mishap! We don't need to bother the Commander," Victor tried. He was still unaware that the incident may not have been just an accident, but he knew that if John found out, his time in the tunnel may be severely curtailed. John was hardly likely to study every report from the tunnel work detail, and the event could simply be buried in all the other data.

"Sorry Professor, but I have to," Fujito replied.

"This is Toshiro Fujita calling Commander Koenig. This is Fujita from the Erath work team calling Commander Koenig," Fujita started.

"Go ahead, Toshiro. This is Koenig."

"Commander, we've had a small accident in the tunnel. No one is hurt, I repeat, no one is hurt, and we're resolving it, but we need your permission."

"Permission? What's going on Toshiro? Where's the Professor?"

"In the tunnel, Commander."

"Paul!" John Koenig jumped up and headed to his office. "Send that feed to my office. Restricted. And tell Alan to get an eagle ready in case we have to fly to Erath."

Once in his office, the door closed, he punched his console. "Ok, Toshiro. Update me. You communication with me is now restricted."

"Well, Commander, it appears that the cable slipped, dropping the cradle a few meters. When I discovered what was going on and tightened the slack, the end of the cradle became tangled under a section of pipe mesh the Professor had been working on."

"Wait! You said, discovered? Why was winch control left unattended with man in the tunnel? What on earth **is** going on?"

"There **was** a man in there, Commander. He said the cable slipped as he was watching, and there was nothing he could do. But…" Toshiro paused. "I'll brief you in more detail when I get back, Commander. I think we need to get the Professor out of there first. He's been down there longer than the allocated 1 hour. Professor Bergman suggests we give the cable enough slack so he can undo himself from his harness and the cradle, drop to the bottom of the tunnel, and then reattach himself to cable so we can hoist him up. Since that would mean a short period of being completely unattached, and it is against your wishes, Commander, I wanted your permission."

"Do you have video feed, Toshiro?"

"Yes, Commander. The Professor's body cam is functional."

"Relay it to me, Toshiro. My secure channel. Sending you the protocol now. And reassure Victor. I need to see, and need a few minutes to think."

"Right away, Commander."

John studied the situation as the feed started coming through. The men in the tunnel worked in their full Alpha spacesuits complete with helmets because of the cold, but without needing the life support pack. The cradle had been a simple device, a lightweight aluminum frame fashioned from a medical gurney, onto which a Kevlar reinforced harness had been bolted. The worker would lie down on his stomach on the cradle and harness, the helpers at the worksite would attach and tighten the harness around his chest and hips, leaving his arms, shoulders and legs free to propel himself within the confines of the tunnel to work. The spacesuit boots would then be fitted with crampons the worker could use to kick into the ice if needed, and a bag of tools was attached to the cradle. The man and the section of pipe needed had then been lowered into the tunnel together from one cable; the cradle effectively inside the round, light, somewhat flexible but very strong carbon pipe mesh, and the worker would drill into the ice wall through the mesh, bolting the pipe mesh into the ice wall in places. John had been in the tunnel himself and had found it very invigorating and exciting, even amusing, almost like something out of an old adventure amusement park.

What he saw now, though, was his friend, still on his stomach in the cradle, but a section of the feet end of the cradle and harness caught underneath a section of the unattached pipe mesh. Toshiro had allowed a little slack in the cable again, but Victor was somewhat head down, unable to reach the problem area. The tangled cradle and harness prohibited him from maneuvering himself in any way to right the cradle.

"Victor! Are you OK down there?"

"John! Yes! I'm fine! I told Toshiro not to bother you!"

"Toshiro did the right thing, Victor. I'm not letting you off that cable." John studied the situation thoughtfully. While Victor's own suggestion may be the fastest and certainly sounded simple enough, John realized the floor at the end of that tunnel was most probably treacherously slick. The older man could slip and end up in an even more precarious position than he was now. The loose end of the cable was heavy, would swing, and could injure a man, or damage his spacesuit. While his suit was intact, Victor was safe from the cold, and John knew supplemental oxygen was pumped into the tunnel via a high pressure jersey-meshed tube, almost like a thin fire hose, while a man was working there…

"Toshiro! The oxygen tube! Is it strong enough to support a man's weight?"

"Yes, Commander!"

"Victor! This is what I want you to do. Toshiro is going to let down a long section of additional oxygen tubing. When he does, I need you to cut off a long section, 4 to 5 meters. Understood?"

"Yes, John."

John watched his friend turn his shoulder to reach for the oxygen tube as it started lengthening. He knew Victor was in good shape, they all had to be, as being part of the space program on earth had required frequent, demanding physicals. Victor's physical would have been doubly demanding because of his mechanical heart. His friend was wiry, but strong. He hoped his plan would work.

"When you've cut that section of hose, Victor, I need you to try turning yourself on that cradle so you are on your back. Do not leave the cradle. Un-clip yourself from what of sections of the harness you need to, but always stay attached to the cradle with one carabiner!"

"With you, John."

John watched his friend's contortions as he tried to turn himself around on the cradle. "Are you monitoring his vitals, Toshiro?"

"Yes Commander. All stable." John prayed silently that it would remain so, because he knew somewhere in the medical unit the vitals of every man working at the tunnel site was always on display.

"Got it, John!" his friend finally exclaimed, now with his back on the cradle.

"We need to get you out of that jammed cradle, Victor, and onto the cable separately so we can haul you up. You're going to use that air hose to fashion yourself a makeshift harness."

The section of air hose had collapsed when it had been cut from the rest of the hose, like a fire hose without water. "OK, Victor, tie the two ends of the hose together tightly to make a big loop."

"Done."

"Now Victor, you're going to have to get two sections of the hose behind your back: one section underneath your armpits and another around the back of your legs around mid thigh. I've done it standing up, but I'm convinced you can do it on your back in that cradle."

He watched his friend struggling to comply. The cradle was rocking a bit from Victor's efforts, but remained firmly jammed into the pipe mesh. Finally Victor held up two loops of air hose in front of him.

"Now, Victor, reach for the section behind you, by your thighs, and pull that loop up between your legs. Slip the two ends you're holding from the inside of that loop through to the outside and pull it tight. You'll have to undo the cradle harness to complete that step, but stay in the cradle at all times."

John held his breath while he watched his friend work with complete concentration. The Commander's eyes did not leave the monitor feed for a second, as he was checking carefully that each step was correctly done. The Professor finally managed to get it right and ended up holding the two loops in the hose in front of him.

"Put an arm through each of those loops, Victor. Wait… get a carabiner from the cradle harness first. You're going to need it."

"Breathing a little fast, Commander," Toshiro cut in. "Heartbeat steady, blood pressure normal, oxygen level perfect."

John knew that Victor's mechanical heart would just continue beating steadily as long as it was not depleted of power, even while other vital signs might be deteriorating.

"Just the activity, I'm sure, Toshiro. It's not easy to do those maneuvers within the confines of the tunnel and cradle."

"Alert medical just in case, Commander?"

"No! No Toshiro, the Professor will be fine. Now, Victor, you need to attach the two sections of loop around your shoulders behind you neck with the carabiner. Lock it off once you have it in place." John had seen his friend beginning to understand the concept of the tube harness a few minutes ago, and Victor used the carabiner to secure the two ends of the loop behind his neck quickly.

"Now, Victor, take the loop by your stomach and attach another carabiner there. Twist the carabiner and the loop until the harness pulls tight around your waist, then tuck the carabiner end under the tightened section around your waist. Make sure it's tight, Victor!"

"I think I've got it, John!" Victor finally exclaimed, clasping the carabiner in his gloved fist. John nodded to himself. He had watched carefully, was certain his friend had followed each step correctly.

"You need to pull yourself up by the sides of the cradle now, Victor, and turn yourself around so you can stand on the bottom section of the cradle, the section pointing down into the tunnel. But first hook that carabiner onto any section of the cradle frame. This is the most difficult part."

Victor pulled himself up until he could finally draw his legs to his chest and then push them down.

"Reach for the carabiner attaching the harness cradle to the cable, Victor. Once you have a good hold of that, clip your carabiner onto that carabiner, and lock them all tight. Only then, unclip the carabiner from the harness cable, and we'll haul you up."

John watched his friend clip and unclip, checking everything carefully. Finally Victor was attached to the cable by his own makeshift harness, balancing on the bottom of the cradle. John let out a sigh of relief. Victor merely flashed a thumbs up.

"OK, Victor. Let go of the cradle and we'll winch you up. Stay careful; without the cradle, you're bound to swing more. Use your legs if you get too close to the tunnel walls. Most of all; remain in a seated position in your harness, using the cable for support. It won't be as comfortable as the cradle, the harness will cause a lot more pressure in places, but it's going to be quite a ride! Haul him up, Toshiro. Not too fast, keep it steady. We don't want that cable to swing too wildly."

Thirty minutes later, as a tired Victor Bergman was hauled safely onto the winch platform by Toshiro Fujita, Koenig smashed his fist into his palm. "Yes!" He jumped up, the tension that had been building inside him needing release.

"Toshiro get the Professor into the eagle. Get all the data from that winch control, then seal off the control room. Get all the men into the eagle and return to Berg immediately! Then report to me."

"Got it, Commander!"

John paced his room. Something was going on, and he had to get to the bottom of it before something else happened to his people.

(To be continued...)


	6. Chapter 6: Mutiny

**Chapter 6: Mutiny**

"It worked! We scared them in their little command boots!" Terry Bannion exclaimed to the group assembled at Kukua. "They're all meeting tomorrow, the entire leadership team in one place!"

Everyone cheered wildly. "Fred should have just dropped that whole cable on Bergman," Mandy Lindsey sneered. "He needs to be gone!"

"We've got to leave the folks being left behind someone," Jerry Travis laughed. "Might as well be him. Poetic justice when we take Doctor Russell and our Commander. He'll just be a lonely old man."

"They've got Fred though," Joan Conway reminded them. "They know he did it."

"Fred's got the gift," Pete Johnson grinned. "The gift of the gab. He'll convince them it was just a sad little accident. He was quite the thespian back on earth, in amateur theater. That's why we chose him."

"Are the weapons checked, Pete?" Terry brought them back to focus.

"Checked, loaded. Man, that's some amazing stuff that was on that ship. Shoulder missile launchers, laser cannons much more powerful than any we have. Explosives, knives, woohoo!"

"There won't be much rest for us tonight. We need to get the remote missiles placed now we know when the meeting will be." Terry turned to the women. "Have you prepared the place?"

"Yes, Terry," Ann Coulther replied. "We have food supplies for several weeks in case those people are stubborn. No one will find the hostages."

"As soon as the meeting starts, our teams will move in to take the hostages. We have moon buggies parked everywhere to whisk them away. Then you take them the last few klicks by foot. The others will drive the buggies away and eradicate our tracks. Once you have the hostages secure, inform the main team immediately. We'll go and visit that meeting and present our case."

"You all have to work very fast," Pete Johnson stressed. "We don't know how long that meeting will last, but I think it will be a long one," he said with a nasty grin. He studied the faces around him. From a group of eight, their numbers had grown to 22. A few of the women looked scared, but most of the faces reflected the anger and disillusion at the state of affairs on Berg that had united them.

"Do you know our demands by heart?" Pete Irving, one of their new recruits asked. "You'll need to state a convincing case."

"Pete is right. Let's go over it one more time, the team going to the meeting," Terry Bannion said. "I know we're all excited that our plan is finally coming together, and we'll soon be gone from here, but we need to stay cool. They'll try to reason us out of it, so we have to have our facts straight, while keeping our emotions at bay. It would still be better to convince them, instead of kill them."

"Here's the list," Shermeen Williams said, handing Bannion a folder. He read:

"1. We want the course to earth, using the data from the Superswift. We want the course plotted on a star chart for us, and also programmed into the databanks of the ship. 2. We want the ship refueled for the full journey. 3. We want the ship stocked with enough supplies and equipment for the equivalent of the return journey, based on the reverse plot in point 1. 4. Once the ship is stocked and ready, we want unhindered access to board, the 22 of us, Commander Koenig, Doctor Russell and Alan Carter if he wants. 5. Once we are certain that everything on the ship is as it should be, we want an unimpeded liftoff and departure. 6. Once we are satisfied that no eagles have followed us, and that we are out of range, we will contact you on interstellar frequency and reveal where the hostages are. 7. If any of our group are accosted or harmed during the time of preparation, one of the hostages will die. 8. If there are any more serious efforts at resistance, we will destroy Kukua, and then Uzazi."

"Do you have our little demonstration ready, Jerry?" Pete Johnson asked.

"I do. Those shoulder launchers are fantastic. You just give the word, and that recreation center will be no more!"

"What if there are people in there?" Ann Coulther asked.

"If they're not one of us, they don't count. Casualties of war, because that is what this is: war for our future, our destiny."

"But what if there are others who'd like to go with us? Back to earth?" one of the other girls said.

"Our group is final. We're the ones doing the work. We don't know how many people can go on that ship, but us, the Commander, Doctor Russell, maybe Alan. Twenty-five sound like a safe number."

"What if the Commander doesn't want to go?" Ann Coulther interjected one more time.

"Are you getting cold feet, Ann?" Pete Irving laughed. "Just tell us now, so we can deal with it. Can't have you falling apart once our plan is in motion."

"You know me, Terry." Ann made her appeal at Bannion. "I'm always just playing devil's advocate. Things are not going to be as easy as you think. Someone has to bring up the hard parts."

"Why would he not want to go?" Mandy whined. "He'll be reunited with his love, away from that meddling old man, heading back to earth with us, to fulfill his destiny!"

"The Doctor may not want to come," Ann persisted. "Then how will you get the Commander."

"I can see you've never really been in love, Ann," Mandy said condescendingly. "I've seen them look at each other. The one will go where the other does."

Ann glared at the disturbed young woman. Of all the things in their plan, this was the weakest link: fantasies and conjectures from a girl herself very much in love with John Koenig, projecting those feelings onto Helena Russell and trying to live the fantasy from that twisted perspective. Ann had confided these thoughts to Terry Bannion, their leader, but he thought it was harmless and helped keep some of the other young women chained to their cause. Mandy was pretty and popular, with a certain charisma to attract others.

"I'm just saying you have to give that part of the plan second thoughts. If they do not want to go, it should not affect our destiny to return to earth."

* * *

John Koenig sighed and put his head in his hands. "It seems we're not getting anywhere!"

"We just don't know, Commander," Paul tried. "We have not found the missing girl. There has been no new security alert at the Superswift, nothing recorded by the cameras, and Fred Dobson was interrogated carefully while we monitored his vitals. He seemed to be telling the truth, the accident at the tunnel site was just that… an unfortunate accident."

John looked at his leadership team. "Yet I have a feeling, Paul, a very dark feeling that something is going on."

"I agree Commander," Alan Carter said. "One thing… just a mishap. Two things… perhaps coincidence. But three things, so quickly, one after the other, in my book that smells fishy."

"I've analyzed the data from the winch platform. It shows clearly that the cable was released manually, and the communications to the man below turned off," David Kano repeated. "And according to Toshiro, Dobson was lying. He said Smitty went to the bathroom, Smitty insists he was told to report to the eagle."

"That's why Dobson is confined to quarters," Koenig confirmed. He studied the faces: Victor Bergman, Helena Russell, Paul Morrow, Alan Carter, and David Kano. Sandra Benes Morrow should have been here, but they had all agreed that she didn't need the stress of this meeting. These were the best minds and hearts on Berg, and if anyone could help him figure out what was going on, it was this group.

"John, if something is brewing… as you think, do you think it's related to the ship? The Superswift?"

"That's what I think, Helena."

"But why, Commander?" Paul asked. "Even if we could get the ship operational again, and reverse plot the course to earth, why would people even want to go back… presuming that's what they want to do? Earth is a wasteland. Alpha Nova gives us a far better chance of survival and raising healthy families."

"At least you're thinking along the lines I'm thinking, Paul. That there's a group of people with an unhealthy interest in that ship."

"But what does that have to do with a missing girl and an accident in an ice tunnel?" Carter threw his hands up. "I agree, something is up, but nothing makes sense."

Koenig turned to Professor Bergman. "Victor. You've been quiet. Far too quiet, as a matter of fact. Are you OK?"

"I'm fine, John. Just listening. Thinking. Keep talking, please. Don't mind me."

John looked at Helena, who simply shrugged. She had assured him Victor was fine after his adventure in the tunnel.

"Well, the link with the missing girl is that she was one of Bob Mathias' helpers when we had our spot of discomfort with some people on Erath. People who wanted, at that point, to force some sort of outcome based on their desires." Koenig turned to Alan Carter. "Now thank goodness, Alan, that you've come to your senses since, but I was never convinced that we completely got rid of that problem. And Melita Kelly had been the one who, according to Bob, had infiltrated the group to learn their agenda."

"Who else was in that group, John?" Helena asked.

"Bob never said. He felt it was best we suppress it by inviting cooperation, instead of calling people out. He felt it would deepen resentments. I never pressed him for names."

"Dobson must be part of it!" Alan Carter exclaimed. "We need to get him in here so we can all question him more thoroughly."

"The Bounty," Victor suddenly said, and all heads swiveled his way. The scientist's green eyes focused on each set of eyes slowly before he spoke. "Do you all know the story of the Bounty?"

"That Mutiny movie?" David Kano laughed. He was somewhat of a movie buff. "I saw Brando in it, and oh… Richard Harris… but Professor, this is not the time to talk about movies."

"Actually, there was an earlier version with Clark Gable," Koenig held up his hands, "but let Victor talk." Comprehension was dawning in his eyes, cold shivers running down his back.

"'Mutiny on the Bounty' was based on true historical events," Victor continued. "A ship from the Royal navy had set out on a journey tasked them by the Crown. During their stay in the South Pacific, the crew became enamored with life on those islands. When the ship, called the Bounty, set sail for England again, the crew rebelled, threw the captain and his men in a dinghy, and returned to Tahiti."

John stood up, pacing around the table. "I think you got it, Victor! I think you figured it out! We have a group of people disillusioned at our life here on Berg, and now that the Superswift is part of the equation, they may be planning to take the ship!"

"It still doesn't make sense, Commander," Alan sighed. "What does it have to do with the girl? And the tunnel incident?"

"Testing our defenses, Alan. Testing our reactions. The girl may have found out and tried to warn us…" John shook his head. "If they have harmed her…"

"Mutiny? Here on Berg? But… that's ridiculous," Paul laughed. "These are educated people."

"Our security people are good," Alan said. "We have weapons, discipline…"

"The eagle… of course…" John snapped his fingers. "The eagle that flew to Erath. Victor, who was on it?"

"Wait, Commander, you're going too fast," Paul said. "What eagle? When?"

"A few days ago Victor told me that you had told him an eagle had been requested to fly to Erath to pick up building supplies for Kukua."

"Yes, it was a routine mission, Commander," Paul said defensively.

"I'm not questioning your authority, Paul. It was completely within the scope of your duty." He turned to the scientist again. "Victor, who was on that ship?"

Victor scratched his head. "Pete Irving was one pilot, the other… Terry… Terry someone, I think. Uh… Jerry Travis was on the ship, and me. That's all. We hardly spoke."

"I bet," John hissed. He stood and faced his team. "When we first started going through that ship on Erath, we found weapons, many powerful weapons, in one of the storage pods. I made the decision to leave them on Erath, and we secured them in one of the storage areas, but we made no secret of it. Several of the relay crews helped us store them. Many of them would have seen those weapons. David, is there anyone at all on Erath?"

"No, Commander, you recalled all the teams."

"So, we cannot check within a short time period whether all those weapons are still accounted for."

"John," Helena said; her face a mask of confusion. "You're beginning to scare me. Weapons? Mutiny? This is the 20th century we're living in, not some primitive, superstitious society."

"Our toys may be better," Victor stated softly, "and our minds filled with knowledge that will astonish even the gods, but the human heart in its darkest form, is still filled with destruction, betrayal and hatred."

John held up his hands. "Well, people, before we get even gloomier, let me reiterate. I believe Victor hit the nail on the head. I believe somewhere in our communities is a small group of dissidents, armed perhaps, who even as we speak may be planning to take the Superswift. Our task now is to come up with a counter plan we can put into effect immediately without alarming all the other people in our communities."

John looked down at his side, where his commlock had started beeping, with annoyance. "I said, I did not want to be disturbed," he barked into the small screen.

"I think, Commander, that you would need to take this," the timid voice of Anna Wong whispered. "Please open the door."

Koenig frowned, glancing at his team briefly. Then he stepped in front of them, and opened the door from his office to the command room.

Behind him, he heard Helena gasp, heard chairs scrape as others jumped up. In front of him was a group of four men he knew well, or had thought he did, for now they were armed with laser cannons unlike any they had known on Alpha, stun guns and knives. And one man had his arm wrapped around Anna Wong's neck, a stun gun at her side.

"Thank you for seeing us, Commander," Terry Bannion said, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Now, all of you get back in your seats; then this little girl won't get hurt."

John turned to his group. "Sit down, sit down." His eyes implored especially Alan Carter and Paul Morrow not to escalate the situation by word or deed.

"Good. Very good," Bannion drawled, drawing closer to the door. "Let her go," he instructed the man holding Anna Wong.

The man pushed her away. "Run girl, run for your life!" he laughed as the terrified girl scrambled away.

"Enough!" Bannion shouted before he turned back to Koenig. "Commander, we are reasonable people, and we have come here to talk to this… cozy little group. Were you to call for reinforcements or any type of security, however, we will have to take steps to ensure our safety. We have weapons trained on targets in Kukua, and Uzazi, and while it is our desire not to use them, we will, if provoked."

"Reasonable people don't arrive at a meeting with weapons and threats!" Koenig replied.

"Let's just say, Commander, we felt our odds of you listening to us, were slightly better this way. Now, let's talk… no… leave that door open. Mark, Jerry, cover the outside exits. If anyone enters, shoot… to kill. Pete, you're with me, but keep them covered." He grinned at the leadership team. "Too many wannabe heroes here."

"Terry? What has happened to you?" Alan Carter exclaimed. "You're a good man."

"That I am," Bannion replied with a smirk. "So, why don't you all just listen to my ideas, then we can all be friends again." He pulled a chair around, sitting in the doorway while his men covered his back.

"Commander Koenig, we want that earth ship you've been trying to keep from us, the people from earth."

"The ship is not operational."

"We've seen it flown twice, Commander."

"That was interplanetary flight, Bannion. Before she does any interstellar flight again, she needs a major overhaul."

"That's what you say," Pete Irving interjected. "That's what you want us to believe."

"It's the truth, Pete," Victor Bergman said. "David and I have been working on that ship, and there is a lot wrong with her."

"You just shut up, old man." Pete turned on the Professor. "We've just about had it with you."

"Pete! Enough!" Bannion commanded. "We're not here for personal grudges, but to make our case."

"I'm waiting." Koenig glared at the young man. "So far, I've not heard a case worth considering."

Terry Bannion took a deep breath, smiled a dark smile, and then looked at John Koenig menacingly. "While you've been having your little meeting, discussing, no doubt, the little problems you've been having the last few days, my men and women have been going around collecting us a little… collateral. Here is the list."

Koenig took a list from the man, and as he scanned it, his face grew deathly pale. Eventually he looked up at Bannion; then handed the list to Victor Bergman with a shake of his head that meant: eyes only, don't let that out of your hands.

Victor glanced down at the list. It was a list of names: Melita Kelly, Angela Robinson, Sandra Benes, Dina Chang, Lesley Picard, Carolyn Powell, June Broadley, Debbi Stein, Renata Santori, Kate Bullen. As realization dawned on him too, he compressed his lips and slowly folded the list into a tiny square of paper.

"What do you want, Bannion?" Koenig snapped.

Bannion reached to Pete Irving, who handed him another piece of paper, from which he read:

"One: We want the course to earth reverse plotted, using the data from the Superswift. We want the course plotted on a star chart for us, complete with all relevant coordinates and also programmed into the databanks of the ship." He paused, looking at the group. "Two: We want the ship refueled for the full journey back to earth."

"You're mad, Banning," Paul hissed through clenched teeth.

Banning wagged his finger. "No judging here, among friends. Three: We want the ship stocked with enough supplies and equipment for the equivalent of the return journey, based on the reverse plot." He laughed. "And a little extra, just in case. Four: Once the ship is stocked and ready, we want unhindered access to board. There are 22 of us, then you, Commander Koenig, Doctor Russell of course, and you, Alan, if you want. You once shared some of our thoughts."

Alan jumped up. "I will never go with you!" John pulled him back into his seat.

"Five: Once we are certain that everything on the ship is as it should be, we want an unimpeded liftoff and departure. Six: Once we are satisfied that no eagles have followed us, and that we are out of range, we will contact you on interstellar frequency and reveal where the hostages are." He gestured to Professor Bergman, referring to the little piece of paper Victor clutched in his hand. "Yes, that's our collateral the Commander wants to keep away from you. Just as he's kept many things from us."

Paul was on his feet. "Give me that list, Commander!" he implored. Victor looked at John, but Koenig shook his head. "Let him finish first, Paul."

"NO!" Paul yelled. "I want to see it now!"

"Sit down, Paul." Koenig's voice sounded defeated.

Eventually the young man slumped in his seat dejectedly.

"Seven: If any of our group are accosted or harmed during the preparation time, one hostage will die. A life for a life. Fred Dobson's 'confined to quarters' needs to be lifted immediately." He looked at Koenig, until the Commander nodded wearily.

"Eight: If there are any other efforts at resistance, we will destroy Kukua, and Uzazi, piece by piece, until you see things our way." He stood up. "We actually have a little demonstration for you, Commander Koenig. Please follow me, and keep your dogs leashed."

"I believe you, Bannion. No demonstration is needed."

"Oh, I think you'll enjoy it, Commander."

The defeated little group trudged outside. Victor put his arm around Helena's shoulder, but he was roughly pushed away with the muzzle of one of the laser cannons. Outside was a moon buggy, and in the cargo bay, a long, white, menacing tube with the tip of some sort of missile protruding from the front. Jerry Travis shouldered it, his face a smirk.

"No need, Bannion," Koenig pled again but the man ignored him. The leadership team watched in horror as the man armed with the shoulder launcher slowly turned in a circle, then lined up with the newly completed recreation center in Uzazi. Jerry Travis looked at Bannion, who simply nodded.

The blast was deafening, the Alphans stunned not just by the sound, but by the sheer brutality of the unprovoked act. The missile slammed into the side of the structure, leaving a gaping hole and sending flames and smoke spiraling into the air.

"NOOOO!" Helena screamed, her hands over her ears. She gave a few steps towards the smoldering recreation center, but John pulled her back. "Not now," he whispered urgently.

"People may be hurt in there, John!" But Koenig gently pushed her towards Victor, while turning to Bannion.

"Will you give us time to discuss your demands, Bannion?" Koenig's voice was barely audible as he indicated his people. "To see if we can come to some sort of… compromise… to give you what you want, without all… this…?"

"I said, leave her alone!" They turned to see Pete Irving, who had since taken the missile launcher from Jerry Travis and placed it in the moon buggy, rip Helena away from Victor Bergman. Victor stepped up to the young man, seldom seen anger flashing in his eyes, but John raised his voice:

"Victor! **NO**!" The Professor stopped and turned slowly, his eyes meeting those of his Commander and friend. What he read there made him take a step back slowly, a sad, dejected grimace on his face. Irving released Helena, who instinctively reached for Victor, but John stepped between them and grabbed her hand to stop her. She looked up at him uncomprehendingly. Koenig backed away, leading Helena, his actions forcing his friend behind him to back away too. When they reached the rest of the leadership group, he pulled Helena against him briefly and whispered urgently by her ear. "They want him dead, Helena. They're looking for an excuse." Then he pushed her behind him and turned to Bannion.

"Will you give us time, Bannion?"

"I don't see why, Commander. Our desires are simple… and not negotiable."

"We need… to discuss the allocation of tasks, the preparation of your ship, the gathering and loading of your supplies… and how to best inform those who will be… helping us."

Bannion looked at his own men, somewhat uncertain. Finally he shrugged. "Sure, Commander. Like I said, we are reasonable people. You can have a little time…" He held up his thumb and forefinger, barely apart. "Just a little. In there." He indicated with the muzzle of his laser cannon, "and leave that office door open. But I warn you, Commander, one word to security, one move from anyone out here, and another structure will go up flames."

People had started coming out of buildings, having heard the explosion, and were running to the recreation center to help. A few stopped and looked at the group gathered by the doors of the command center, but not understanding what they were seeing, continued on to assist.

"What about them?" Koenig asked.

"As long they don't come bother us, Commander, let them do their little jobs. Now, get in there, have your little talk. We'll be waiting right here," the four men sat down on chairs in the command room, two covering the doors, and two facing the Commander's office, "and we'll be watching the clock."

Koenig ushered his little herd into his office. He turned his chair so his back was to the men and indicated to the others to do the same. They huddled their heads together.

"Victor, the list."

Victor handed John the small square of tightly folded paper, and Koenig passed it to Paul. The young man unfolded it, and as his eyes began to scan it, he looked up slowly at the commander. "The bastards!" Then, overcome with terror, he handed it to David Kano.

"We don't have much time," Koenig whispered.

He received no reply. His people were obviously in a state of shock, as he was, but he knew that what they decided in the next few minutes would not only determine the lives of ten people they knew and cared for, but also possibly the lives of all those on Berg.

"I propose," he continued through clenched teeth, "that we simply accept all their demands and give them their ship."

"We can't, Commander," Alan replied vehemently. "They're nothing more than criminals… terrorists. We have to stop them."

John Koenig looked at each of his people in turn, reading nothing but despair, fear and hopelessness in each set of eyes. Even Victor Bergman, a man he knew would rather die than give up, looked utterly defeated.

"If we let them take that ship, what do we lose?" John asked. "What do we really lose?"

"It's not about the ship, Commander!" Alan was still fuming, ready to take on the world.

"I know, Alan, but we have to make it about the ship. For this one moment we have to throw off all our ingrained, programmed reactions, everything we've learned about terror, everything mankind has always done about terror, and give in."

"I don't want to go on that ship, John," Helena whispered.

"No, no, you're right. That's the one point we'll negotiate. I don't want to either. But," he spoke slowly, enunciating each word with venom, "we have to get those people off Berg. That's our best chance. They carry within them a seed of hatred and destruction we don't need here."

Eyes were now meeting his, as his words slowly stared getting through to them.

"What if they don't release the hostages?" David Kano asked softly. "What if we do everything they ask and they still don't release them?"

"I can't give you any guarantees, David," Koenig continued. "But I can tell you that, once we start working on preparing that ship, somehow we will look for them. Somehow we will do everything in our power to find them, and free them unhurt."

"How, Commander?" Paul insisted. The young man's fists were clenched tightly.

"We still have friends here. Once we start working, I'll find a way to get the word out, Paul."

"John is right," Victor finally offered. "If we let them have that ship, we don't really lose anything, except face. But if we fight them, we might lose a lot more; we might even lose everything we've fought for up to this point."

"Yes, Victor. Our struggle has been for our survival all these years. We've fought this struggle by ourselves, and we've dealt with situations that no human had ever seen or even conceived of before. We've had to make decisions that no rational mind can ever understand, nor begin to justify." John looked at his people, silently pleading for them to understand. "We remained on the moon during the events of September 1999. We rejected offers of a home, of cooperation, from beings and planets that could have offered some sort of future. We allowed our moon to rush headlong into another planet, irrefutably on a collision course. We left two people alone on an unknown planet to build a destiny for themselves, and perhaps, all of mankind. We did all this," he shook his head slowly, "perhaps because sometimes we didn't know what else to do. But we made these decisions as humans, with our limited capacity, and we are still here. We made these decisions because we are Alphans, and through all the despair, the loss of life, we each knew in our hearts that we did have a future, somewhere. We made those decisions from hope. Victor?" John looked at his friend, his words drying up, needing help.

"I think what John's trying to say," the scientist continued, "is that we… most of us… have changed. We have freed ourselves from the confines of normal human thinking. We have evolved through all our adventures, unaware mostly, of that evolution, but we are at the dawn of a new way of thought, a new way of life, and we can, and should make a decision not rooted in the narrow ruts of conventional human thought."

"Thank you, Victor," John said, having caught his breath, collected his thoughts. "We cannot fight these people," he continued. "We are not prepared. And even if we had been, and chose to, there would be loss of life and destruction of much that we have already built here for ourselves. Even if we did fight, and won, what then? It would have left us with those who set in motion these events, those who silently but no less certainly sympathized with their cause. We would forever carry the distrust, the suspicion in our hearts, and the seed of hatred would remain, ready to sprout at any moment. For us, now, lies the option to forever free our communities and those who choose to remain in them, of that seed."

There was silence as the small group of Alphans looked at each other, considering these staggering thoughts.

"It still feels as if we are just giving up, Commander," Alan said. "Letting them win."

Koenig turned to the young man. "We are giving up, Alan."

"I don't understand, Commander."

"We are giving up the desire to win at all costs. We are giving up the desire to be right, to prove that we are right, and to bring everyone in line with those desires. We are giving up the thought that everyone can benefit only from our way of thinking, our way of life. We are giving up the desire to make everyone conform to our view of our destiny."

"I don't really understand it," David Kano offered with a half-hearted, sad smile, "but it does sound good. Better than the alternative anyway."

"Helena?"

"I agree John. Anything to avoid further violence."

"Paul?"

"I'm with, Alan, Commander. I don't really understand, but I'll support whatever you decide."

"Alan?"

"With you, Commander."

"Victor?"

"One hundred percent, John."

John Koenig swung his chair around. "Bannion? We're ready."

The man looked at the leadership group with distrust, nervously fingering his weapon. "There are people outside," he said. "We can hear them. Your answer better be good, and you need to take care of them. We are not playing, Commander."

"Bannion, except for a few small points, you can have everything you demanded. We will help you get your ship ready. We will trust your word that you will eventually release those hostages unhurt. We will trust your word that there while be no more violence when we cooperate. You have my word that we will not attempt any violence, towards any of you, while we are working together to prepare for your journey, and that we will not try to stop you. You have my word that everyone helping with the preparations will do it to the best of their ability, and with your safety and survival their prime directive."

The man took a few steps back, confusion flashing in his eyes. Pete Irving jumped up, grabbed his leader frantically. "He's lying. They're planning something. Don't trust them!" Bannion shook him off.

"What are the few small points?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Neither I, nor Doctor Russell will be joining you on that ship. That is our only non-negotiable point."

All four men now glanced at each other with confusion. Then Pete Irving stepped up. "But we're trying to help you, Commander. You must go with us! You'll have Doctor Russell back! You'll have what you want!" There was a manic glint in his eyes.

Koenig stepped forward towards the four men, who scrambled back, but remained clustered and trained their weapons on the Commander.

"You can have everything you want, Bannion," Koenig said, his voice strong, his posture reflecting his strength and conviction. "But you cannot make us part of what you perceive to be your destiny. You cannot presume to know what I want, or what Doctor Russell wants, or Alan Carter, Paul Morrow, David Kano, Victor Bergman. You are the master only of your own destiny. I am the master of my own. That one thing, you cannot have." He paused. "Now, let's allow these people to get back to work, to go help the injured, assess damage to our community, to communicate with our duty units, and let us begin to prepare your ship."

(To be continued...)


	7. Chapter 7: An Old Friend

**Chapter Seven: An Old Friend**

"Let my people go, Bannion." John Koenig stepped even closer to the four men, ignoring the weapons pointed at him. "All they want to do is to go and help those who may be injured. I will talk to the people outside. I'll reassure them, and send them away, so things can return to normal while we prepare for your departure. I will guarantee your safety." He pointed to his office. "Barricade yourself in there, if you want. All our communication devices are available for you to contact your people. But you have my word; no one will come for you. When I return, we will talk, and get the wheels rolling to start preparations."

Bannion and his four men started backing away, their faces filled with distrust, their eyes filled with fear. "Remember, Commander, we have remote weapons trained on you! We can set them off with one word."

"My word, Bannion." Koenig turned to his people. "Go… go and help. If anyone asks what's going on, reassure them that it was just an unfortunate misunderstanding, a lone individual who briefly lost control. Tell them anything you want, but go. Now!"

The small group burst into action, racing for the exit. No effort was made to stop them, and John Koenig too strode away, watching his people race towards the recreation center, before turning to the group of security men at the command center entrance.

"Stand down."

"Anna Wong said…," Tony Allen started, "men with laser cannons…"

"Stand down, Tony. Everything is under control. Thank you for responding. I'll meet with you all later for a more thorough briefing, but for now, I'm going to go help over there." He indicated the hole in the structure, where smoke was still escaping in wisps."

"Yes, Commander," Tony Allen replied. "Standing down."

John Koenig hurried towards the ruined recreation center. In the smoke-dimmed atmosphere medical orderlies were helping people onto gurneys; attending to those sitting up, less seriously injured but still in a state of shock; while other people were rushing around with fire extinguishers, putting out pockets of fire. He looked around and spotted Victor and Helena by the side of the pool with a group of victims, judging by their dusty, disheveled appearance. He rushed over and grabbed his friend firmly by the arm, leading him some distance away.

"John! That missile, it came through right there where the changing rooms and showers for the pool area are." Victor gesticulated. "And no one was inside there at the time! They were all here in the pool, playing a game of water polo. No one got seriously hurt!"

"Victor, that's great news." But John gripped his friend by the upper arms, imploring him with that forceful action, to listen. "But you need to listen to me, Victor. Listen to me carefully."

"I'm listening, John." Victor face was filled with confusion.

"I need you, Victor, to stay away from Helena, here, in public, where those people can see."

"But John, I…"

"Listen, Victor! Those people want to harm you!"

"I'm not afraid of them, John."

John sighed. "It's not about that, Victor. Please, try to understand. I've given Bannion my word that we would not harm him, or his people, and I meant it, even though we don't have the same assurance from him. But it is also my responsibility to keep all of my people safe. And I have observed since our interaction with these people began, that they seem to have targeted you in particular, and more specifically at those times when you engage with Helena. I have my suspicions as to why, but all I'm asking you now, no, begging you, Victor, is to please follow my instructions on this. It's one part of their whole plan I don't quite understand, but they mean you great harm." John looked at his friend, hoping with every fiber of his being the urgency would sink in with the older man. "You may not understand, Victor, but I ask you to trust me on this. Please, trust me. Do this for Helena, for your unborn child, for me… do this Victor, for me, because I love you as a dear friend." John's shoulders slumped, his strength completely drained by the intensity of his appeal.

"OK, John," Victor said after a few moments, reaching out to squeeze Koenig's shoulder. "I'll trust you on this." The men locked eyes. "Thank you."

Only then did John Koenig realize that he had been holding his breath, and as Victor turned away and started off towards some of the service personnel handling the fire extinguishers, did he slowly breathe out. Then he too, sprung back into action to help those affected by the unprovoked act of violence by the madmen loose on Berg.

* * *

A small group of Terry Bannion's people was gathering in an unused residential unit in Uzazi. Armed men were guarding the door, but in the two days since the meeting with Koenig and his leadership team, they all had to admit that not one of them had been accosted in any way. Even those who still remained incognito reported that no one on Berg seemed to find the preparations being carried out at the Superswift unusual, or had spoken to them about unrest, hostages or the plan to take the ship.

"This is worse than having to fight them," Jerry Travis grunted. "They just… caved in… like a bunch of spineless jellyfish."

"I tell you what," Pete Irving said. "It's not normal. I don't trust them at all."

"It's like what we did never happened," Jerry continued his lament. "That beautiful hole in the recreation center, nobody even looks at it anymore."

"We should have had bodies," Pete grinned. "Nothing like dead bodies to make folks sit up and notice."

"Well, you got what you wanted," Shermeen Williams commented. "You got the ship. I don't understand why you're complaining so much."

"You don't know the whole story," Joan Conway sneered. "It's not just about that ship. We're also helping Commander Koenig achieve his dream."

"That romantic fantasy. What crap," Shermeen laughed, but was shocked into silence by a firm slap from Joan.

"Oooh, a catfight," Pete Irving crowed, but the door burst open and Terry Bannion stood before them. He took in the guilty expressions, the furtive glances.

"What's going on here?"

"Just a little disagreement among the ladies," Pete grinned.

"She's the one," Joan hissed, pointing at Shermeen. "She makes fun of us and our plans."

Bannion glanced at the girl rubbing her red cheek. "How so?"

"She wasn't with us from the start. She calls our plan to help the Commander get his true love a romantic fantasy."

"And that's exactly what it is," Ann Coulther said, entering behind Terry Bannion. "It is time we forget that part of our plan and focus on the main objective. We now have the ship, and those people are really working very hard to get it ready. Soon, we'll be heading back home."

"They're not going to give us that ship!" Pete Irving threw up his hands. "It was too easy. Why can't you people see that? They're planning something. They're just pretending."

"Pete, did you check on the group with the hostages earlier, like I asked?"

"Yes, Terry. They're all fine. Except for that drama queen Mandy who can't stop crying since you told her the Commander won't go on the ship."

"You guys really don't like each other very much, do you?" Shermeen said.

"Revolutionaries don't have like each other, they just have to unite around their cause," Pete retorted.

"So, you're revolutionaries?" Shermeen laughed disdainfully. "You don't even know the meaning of the word. I'm out of here."

Joan jumped up, but Bannion held her back. "Let her go. We have to talk."

"But she…"

"She won't do anything," Bannion reiterated. "And I'm tired of all the bickering."

"So am I," Pete admitted. "We should have started our revolution without all these women."

"Just shut up, Pete," Bannion barked. "I need to think, and I need some real advice instead of these childish squabbles."

"You know that by their actions they have effectively disarmed us without using a single weapon?" Ann Coulther said, sitting down.

Terry Bannion sighed and sat down too. "I'm not sure what they've done, but they certainly put a damper on things. We need to get our fire back."

"We need to refocus on our main objective, that ship. And our destiny to return to earth, to rebuild, to save mankind," Ann continued. "I think they're helping us because by doing so, they can get rid of us. And I say, Great! Good riddance to them too. They can stay here on their pitiful little planet, but we'll be going back to where it really matters! Earth! Our true home."

"Well, some of the girls are really in it more for the whole Commander thing," Fred Dobson said, looking at Joan. "They've been rather sulky lately."

"Well, **I** know you can't force him," Joan said defensively. "But Mandy and her disciples are kinda stuck in that groove. I feel we have to give them something to calm their feelings. They feel we're letting them down, not working hard enough to convince the Commander and Doctor Russell we're doing it all for them."

"Are we really doing it for them?" Ann Coulther asked, but they stared at her, not understanding.

"So, if those two won't go on the ship, what's the next best?" Pete smirked, waving his laser cannon. "We get rid of Bergman! That way the Commander gets his love," with a sideways glance at Joan, "and we can be gone from this place. Case closed."

"I don't agree," Ann Coulther offered. "Killing someone won't help our cause. Our focus needs to be on that ship. And the Professor and David Kano are the ones doing the reverse plotting. We still need them."

"But not for long. Once we have the reverse plot, he's redundant."

"OK, Pete, if it makes you feel better, take a chance if you find one. Now, we all have work to do. Get a new team out to relieve those looking after the hostages. Go check our remote weapons. Then, rest in relays. We need to watch these treacherous people carefully. Outwardly they may seem to comply, but in their hearts they hate us," Bannion said, then turned on his heel to leave the unit.

* * *

John Koenig leaned back in the chair, folding his hands behind his head. "So, by tomorrow, Victor, you and David will have the reverse plotting completed?"

"Yes John," the scientist nodded. Then he shook his head. "But it's the most incredible thing, really. Traveling that course, at the speed that ship is capable of, it would take 600 years! And David and I have checked our calculations… over and over."

"But Victor, we know that ship arrived here, in Alpha Nova, a little more than two years after our moon got blasted out of earth's orbit, based on the calendar and the logs we've been keeping."

"Exactly, John. It makes no earthly sense."

"So how do you explain it, Victor?" The two men looked up as Helena entered the room to join them. After the last few long, stressful days, the three of them were catching a short break in Victor's and Helena's residential unit on Berg.

"Just theories, John. But to me it seems," Victor held out his hand to Helena, who joined him on the couch, "that there is some kind of line, or lines, in the universe. Unseen of course, but when crossed, time becomes distorted somehow… at least time as we know it."

"Like time travel?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. We've been aware, although we didn't understand it at the time, that we crossed some of those lines during our journey on Alpha. The black sun, for example. Somehow we went through it, but we really don't know where, or even when we ended up. We have no maps, no reference. And that brain that tried to destroy us with its antibodies; and our collision with Atheria, all those times were times we experienced some kind of shift in time. So, while we may have experienced about two earth years, the rest of the universe may have experienced thousands of years."

"So, you think we're in some kind of time capsule? That time is standing still for us?"

"Not still, John. We still experience the passing of time, but our experience of it is distorted. What may be one day for us in Alpha Nova now may be hundreds of years elsewhere in the universe."

"What brought this on?" Helena laughed, looking up at Victor.

"Victor's been telling me that the journey back to earth may take that ship 600 years, based on his and David's calculations and the capabilities of the Superswift during interstellar travel."

"You're kidding, right?"

Victor shook his head. "It's what the data predicts."

"Are you going to tell them, Victor?" John said thoughtfully.

"If there's any smarts among them, they should be able to work it out for themselves. Time equals distance divided by velocity."

"But they believe, like we all do, that that ship has been traveling for about a year. Let's hope they keep believing that."

"Exactly John. And it may have been. But, to get where we are, it could have crossed those lines too… at least some of them, and experienced that distortion in time. So, the interesting thing I've been pondering is this… we know we've crossed some of those lines, and we know that ship crossed some of those lines, but my question is… once you've crossed that divide in time, can you go back? Ever?"

John rubbed his eyes. "That's too much for me right now, Victor. Bottom line is, what are you going to tell them?"

"David and I decided to just give them the star map and the coordinates, and allow some of them to watch while he programs the onboard computer. We can tell them we think it'll take about 2 years, because that's the time frame we've observed from our perspective, and hope no one in their group decides to check. Because how do you stock a ship like that for a 600 year journey? You can't. In the end, however, unless some cosmic force gets them through those distortions in time, none of them will survive the journey. We'll be sending another ship of death, this time back to earth. Tragic, really."

John shook his head sadly. "Well, technical has done all they can to overhaul the Superswift for interstellar travel. I'm glad we can finally start stocking her up, so we can get this nightmare over with."

"Any news of the hostages?"

"I have men looking all over, as fast as they can. Bannion has grounded all eagles except ones we're going to use for hauling supplies, and even then one of his people will always be on board. They've also been keeping tabs on the moon buggies. So the men have had to slip away and do it on foot."

"David is pretty torn up," Victor sighed. "He's amazed me with his ability to still work on that data."

John studied his two friends. Then he sighed deeply. "I don't want to be the bringer of more doom, but, we have to be realistic. Before I go, I need to say something."

"Sure John, go ahead."

"When you present them with the data tomorrow, and David starts reprogramming those onboard computers, you become superfluous to them, Victor."

"I'll stay out of their way, John."

"I'm afraid it's more than that, Victor. I've had the feeling for a long time, even before all this business with the ship came to a head, that there is a group of people who have somehow made you their… scapegoat… if one can use that word. People who blame you, for whatever reason, for all they think have gone wrong in their opinion."

"But that's ridiculous, John," Helena protested. "Victor is the most harmless man I know."

"There are people who dislike the fact that the two of you are together. They don't know your history, and they don't know your hearts. They only know what they observed on Alpha, and that there was an attraction between you, Helena," He looked at her with a shrug, "and me. And in their opinion, **we** should be together, not the two of you. It threatens their preconceived notions. That's about as straight as I can shoot this one."

"You've confused me even more now, John," Helena said.

But Victor chuckled, reaching for her hand; then looked at John. "I think what John's trying to say is that people look at him and you, and see the match, and their conventional minds approve. Subconsciously, of course. Then, they look at you and me," he smiled at her, his eyes filled with tenderness, "or rather, at **me** , and their conventional minds do not approve. Also, subconsciously, of course."

John shook his head, a smile on his face. "Sometimes, Victor, I really just want to deck you. But yes, thank you. That's about what I was trying to say. They don't understand your relationship, so they reject it, and they make you, Victor, the scapegoat. I asked you to keep your distance from Helena, because I sensed that it angered them, and felt it might cause them to harm you. You trusted me on that, which defused the situation somewhat. Then, you were useful to them because of the data they needed. Now that step is complete, and I'm afraid there are still those entertaining the thought of harming you, to give me, in their opinion, what I want."

"But we told them, John, we're not going on that ship, you and I."

"I don't think they've accepted it, Helena. I think there is a faction, a very strong faction within that group, that still wants to force their outcome. And I don't think Bannion has good control over it all. But he seems to be the kind of man who would like to appease his people, to keep them all happy, or in line, and he may just allow that faction free rein. I think Victor is in danger."

Helena looked up at Victor, who merely looked thoughtful, and with her hands around his neck, buried her face against his shoulder. He rubbed her back soothingly with one hand, holding up the other towards his friend in a gesture of resignation.

"I've said what I wanted to say. Just be careful, Victor. I don't know about you two, but I'm completely drained." He got up, headed for the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

"Bannion." Koenig acknowledged the man entering his office with a brief nod. "Sit. Please."

Terry Bannion perched on the edge of the chair, his hand hovering near his belt and stun gun. Koenig had suggested that Bannion's men stop carrying around their laser cannons so openly to give the appearance of normalcy. But more people on Berg had since started drawing conclusions, and there was a palpable tension in the air.

"You wanted to see me, Commander."

Koenig shut his door with his commlock, momentarily startling the man, who drew his stun gun.

"That is more for **your** protection, Bannion," Koenig started, gesturing to the door. "We have found where the hostages are kept. We have found over two dozen of your hidden remote controlled and conventional missile sites."

"You lie!" The man jumped up, aiming the stun gun at Koenig.

"The hostages are kept in a hastily constructed bunker buried in a hillside 30 km northwest from Kukua. Here are the coordinates." John held out a piece of paper, which Bannion snatched, barely glancing at it. "And here are the coordinates for the missile sites we've found. The weapons have been disabled." The Commander held out another slip of paper.

Bannion sunk into the chair. "What are you going to do now?"

"Nothing."

The man stared at Koenig uncomprehendingly. "Nothing?"

"I called you here, Bannion, alone, so you can save face with your people. We will continue getting your ship ready; complete the stocking of supplies, and teaching your appointed crew members how to run that ship. We have scheduled the tentative launch for a week from today; if you are satisfied that everything has been done to your specifications. Meanwhile, you will go ahead and release those hostages. Unharmed, and with no strings attached."

Bannion gave a few short, insincere laughs. "I'm not a fool, Commander. The moment we let those hostages go, you'll go for us, punish us, kill us. No, no, no," he shook his head. "You may have found them, but if you try to get them, they will die. All of them. And we have more weapons. You have not found them all." He waved the little slip of paper triumphantly. "We have many more. You're in no position to make demands."

Koenig studied the man opposite him. "I'm not making a demand, Bannion. I'm giving you and order. You will release those hostages unharmed. You still have my word that no harm will come to any of you. We'll get you on that ship, you and all your people, and on your way, and you'll go with our blessing. You don't need those hostages anymore, and your people need to get ready. You can't waste their time with guarding people that mean you no harm."

Bannion looked around wildly, as if looking for support somewhere. He shook his head vehemently. "You think I'm a fool. You think we're all fools!" He aimed the stun gun erratically, his hand jerking: the table, a chair, the door, the monitor.

John Koenig folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. "I don't think you're a fool, Bannion. I think you're a man to be pitied. You and your people think you know what you want, but it's all just… some sad, distorted fantasy. Yet, you've chosen that for your destiny, and I will respect that."

"I'll kill you!"

"You'll lose the support of half of your people," Koenig stated. "Then your war will not be with us, but with them."

"We'll kill the Professor!"

John Koenig stood up slowly, coming around the desk with measured steps, completely ignoring the shaking hand aiming the stun gun at him. He bent down, wrenched the man out of his seat by his collar and got right his face, pushing the weapon aside.

"Victor is my friend. If any of your people harm him in any way, I will personally tear you apart, Bannion, limb by limb, before loading your sorry remains on that ship with your minions." He threw the man back into the chair. Bannion slumped, his head hanging.

"You see, Bannion, you and your people built your entire plot upon two completely false premises: One – that we would never allow a group who wanted to return to earth to use that ship, and, two – that the sick fantasy harbored by some of your group that I wanted Helena Russell at all costs, is true." Koenig turned his back on the man, returning to his chair. "If your foundations are weak, your whole structure is compromised. That's why your plan fell apart. Now, go coordinate with Paul Morrow. He'll give you an eagle to go pick up those hostages. Some of our security and medical staff will go with you, but they are only going to help the hostages… our people. Not one hair on your heads will be harmed."

* * *

Terry Bannion flung his belt and stun gun onto a chair, pacing the room frantically.

"What did he want?" Pete Johnson asked.

"They found the hostages."

"What? Did they attack?" Pete Johnson was incredulous.

"No. They also found some of the weapons." Bannion flung the notes at Johnson. "Where's Irving? He was supposed to coordinate daily checks of those weapons. Koenig says they disarmed some."

"Probably with Mandy. Those two have really been getting it on!" Johnson chuckled.

"He needs to do his damn job. Get him in here!"

"Shouldn't we be sending reinforcements to the hostage site?"

Bannion sighed. "No, Koenig says they're not going to attack."

Johnson studied his leader thoughtfully. "Of course they're going to attack. And we've mostly got women there, guarding them."

"Everything Koenig has said, happened exactly like he said it would," Terry replied with a sigh. "They gave us the ship, they've plotted our course, they're stocking it, they're training some crew, and not one of us has been harmed."

Pete Johnson scratched his head. "Well, Terry, I still think they are planning something. And just think! If they free those hostages, we have nothing! They'll come straight for us, man. We need to get men there right now, and we need to defend that place. Those hostages are our tickets."

"Koenig wanted me to give the word to release them. I told him I needed to talk to you guys. So, he's waiting for me to get back to him."

Johnson shook his head. "We cannot release those hostages. We need to throw out a body and tell them to withdraw, or else we kill some more."

"I really don't know what to do, Pete. Koenig likes to mess with my head. Can't we just get some of the others here and have a talk. I'm telling you, they won't attack to free those hostages. I don't know what they're going to do, but they won't attack."

"OK, well, call Irving, and Jerry, Ann, Fred and Joan, but for goodness sake not Mandy. I'm so tired of her whining. Get a few guys to keep watch nearby, but tell them to stay hidden."

Bannion hurried outside, and Pete Johnson hung his head in his hands, reflecting on the fact that **his** greatest mistake had been to allow Terry Bannion to assume leadership for this undertaking. Bannion could get people motivated, but if things didn't go his way, he had a hard time keeping himself, and therefore everyone else, motivated. "I should have just done it myself," he mumbled to himself as he heard a moon buggy pull up; other hurried footsteps.

They merely nodded at one another and took seats.

"Mark will round up a few guys to keep watch," Fred Dobson said. But everyone at the meeting had a laser cannon and stun gun, within easy reach.

"So," Pete Johnson started. "Terry tells me Koenig informed him that they found where the hostages are being kept. I checked the coordinates. They're correct."

"I told you we had to watch them more carefully!" Irving started, but Johnson was in the man's face in two steps.

" **You** had the simple job of coordinating the men who checked the weapons' sites daily, but Koenig's men found more than half of them and disabled them. Why have we not been told?"

"I did check them," Irving whined.

"No. You have been checking out Mandy."

Irving looked as if he was about to cry, when Ann Coulther spoke up: "That girl is bad news. I told you that from the start. She doesn't even understand what we're trying to do."

"She does too," Pete Irving countered. "She tells me all the time. I'm so tired of hearing it, but she does know."

"So, what does she tell you, Pete?" Ann Coulther said sarcastically.

"You guys know!" he replied, his voice still whiny. "How we were split up when we left Alpha, because Morrow wanted to take over command. How they separated the Commander from Doctor Russell. How they wanted to isolate him to make him look bad."

Ann laughed. "And what else, Pete? What does little Mandy whisper in your ear when you… you know…"

"Terry! Tell her to stop! She's making fun of me. You all know what happened."

"Actually, we don't, Pete," Ann continued.

"Well, that stupid old man was helping Morrow, by brainwashing Doctor Russell, to turn her against the Commander."

"Stories, Pete, childish stories from a girl obsessed with Koenig. Do you imagine you're Koenig, and does she think she's Doctor Russell when you two are together?" Ann spat.

Irving turned on her. "You're just a jealous…"

"Stop it!" Pete Johnson commanded. "We get the point, Ann. Now, you all need to listen. That is one part of our plan that we all have to drop. That part is not working out, but yes, I'm inclined to think it's just a delusional fantasy too. But our most important goal is that ship!"

"A ship that will take us home," Ann Coulther agreed. "That is our first mission. To return to our people, and our planet, take them our knowledge, and rebuild. We will save our people on earth!"

"And now we have a few problems, but the ship is almost ready," Johnson continued. "Tell them, Terry."

"Koenig said the ship will be ready in a week." They all looked at each other, a few smiles beginning to form.

Dobson suddenly exclaimed: "We should be helping those guarding the hostages!"

"Koenig said they won't attack," Bannion said, hanging his head.

"And you believe him?" Jerry Travis said, incredulous.

"Yes," Bannion said softly.

"I believe him too," Ann Coulther said. "I've told you. They are cooperating because they want to get rid of us. And that's perfect! That gives us the upper hand, and that ship!"

"He wants us to release the hostages."

"So, release them," she said. "Saves us a lot of trouble."

"No, I don't agree," Travis said. "They may have cooperated so far, but once we let those hostages go, they'll just round us up. We'll never see that ship!"

"And what do you think they'll do with us?" Ann Coulther asked. "There's no prison here, no judge, no jury..."

Their faces were filled with uncertainty. Then, Pete Johnson said. Let's vote: release, or keep?"

"Release," Bannion said, relieved that the rest of what had happened at that meeting had not needed to become known.

"Release." Ann Coulther said.

"Keep," Irving grunted.

"Me too, keep," from Travis.

Frank Dobson voted for release, but his girlfriend Joan shook her head. "Keep."

Bannion looked at Pete Johnson. "So, it's up to you, Pete."

Johnson looked at Ann, then at Bannion thoughtfully. "Release," he finally said. "Let our people know; and tell Koenig. We'll see how good his high and mighty word is. If his people do turn on us now, we may have just won our case."

* * *

John Koenig was stretched on his bed in his quarters, hovering between sleep and wakefulness. The last few days had wrung everything from him. He was emotionally drained, but as he drifted in that zone between consciousness and sleep, he reflected with satisfaction that ten people from Berg had been reunited with family and friends, and that during this nightmare of the past few weeks, not one of his people had been hurt or killed. He had sent Victor to Erath with two other men, ostensibly to check the weapons cache and the tunnel site, but it had been for his own peace of mind.

He became aware of a shift in the space that was his home, of reflecting light, gently spinning. He sat up slowly, mesmerized by the tiny twinkling fragments of light around him, the room seemingly spinning slightly, and reached out to touch one of the fragments.

"In your world, John Koenig, you are asleep. It is safe for you, in that state, to join me."

Koenig looked around, and saw himself sleeping peacefully on his bed. But as he looked up, he also saw himself surrounded by soft golden light, in a room, an immense room, made of light.

"Who are you?" he asked. Moving forward required no effort, and he found himself being drawn into that light.

"Have you forgotten me so soon, John Koenig? I have not forgotten you."

He turned in circles, the light engulfing him in pleasant sensations of peace and tranquility.

"My father has since moved on to another plane of existence, John Koenig, but I have held you in my mind. I have visited you often, in my mind."

"Am I dreaming?"

"In your world, you are dreaming, but in my world, you are present."

"I want to see you."

"And you will, John Koenig. We learned much from you, when you last visited us, and I have kept studying your mind, so that I can understand. I can understand why you made the choice you made about your earth ship. You made the correct decision, John Koenig. My father had not understood completely, because his experiments were not real situations. But you had known your people, even though you could not read their minds."

"Vana?"

"You do remember, John Koenig!"

"Yes, yes I do. Where are you, Vana?"

"Come to me in your mind, John Koenig, and you will see me."

John Koenig closed his eyes, thinking back to his time on Zenno. He remembered the lights… the city of light, Raan's experiments that had left him exhausted and confused, and the radiant young woman in a shimmering golden haze…

"Your mind is very tired, John Koenig. Your human body has reached its limit. I can see that you are trying, but you need to rest. My task was to assure you that your people are safe, because you made the correct decisions. Your fears no longer govern your mind or your heart. Your people have learned well."

"Don't leave me, Vana. Please? I want to see you!" John reached out into the light, his fingers trying to grasp the tiny shimmering fragments.

"I will never leave you, John Koenig. But I am still learning to cross the bridge between our worlds. You have given me the key, now I am making the journey. I will be with you, soon."

John sat up in bed and looked around wildly. Everything was as it should be: quiet, dark. His lunar alarm clock told him he had been asleep for about four hours. He breathed out slowly, overwhelmed by the dream. Or had it been a dream?

Events of the last week started returning to his consciousness, reminding him of the task that lay ahead of him in a few hours. In a few hours the group taking the ship would board and start their long, uncertain journey back to earth. He shook his head sadly, wondering if that ship would ever reach earth. And if it did, would those on earth at the time make the same horrific discoveries on that ship as they had? Would this group of sad, confused, angry people face lonely deaths in the vastness of space?

He got up, realizing that he would not sleep again. He would get ready and go to Uzazi, where no doubt some of his other friends were also awake; the fate of the misguided group of rebels weighing heavily on their minds. None of them had ever taken the events surrounding the taking of the Superswift lightly, realizing that the group who thought they knew their destiny, had no idea what they were heading into. But they had not intervened. Not one of the group had been harmed, the ship was stocked, the computers programmed and those making the journey had been trained to the best of their ability.

For a moment John realized that this must have been what the remnant on earth had been going through as they prepared to send the survival ship into space. The cargo was different, the motivation more noble, but the concern and feelings must have been the same. He wished that he could somehow have let them know that three of the children had survived. Three precious young children, now recovered enough to sit up, take simple food and attempt smiles at those caring for them diligently. Once Berg was at peace again, they could all focus on those children.

He suddenly remembered his dream… the lights… Vana. Did she really talk to him? It had seemed so real, and he felt comforted, vindicated. But then he remembered his duty, remembered that the eagle from Erath would be returning too, and started getting ready to go to his people in Uzazi.


End file.
